Greyfriars Catholic School
56%
Capacity
670
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About Greyfriars Catholic School
Greyfriars Catholic School sits within Oxfordshire’s state secondary landscape, a mixed Roman Catholic school for ages 11 to 19. In the local authority, it ranks 5th out of 7 schools when measured by Progress 8, placing it in the bottom half of the LA’s 46 same-type schools overall. The top-performing peers nearby are The Cherwell School, Didcot Girls’ School, and Bartholomew School, all of which post higher Progress 8 scores. Greyfriars is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 201 applications for 119 places, with 61 first-preference offers made. The school has a capacity of 1,200 but currently enrols 670 pupils, so there is room to grow. Just under 29% of students are eligible for free school meals, a figure above the national average. The headteacher is Lyndsey Caldwell, who leads a school that has seen significant change in its Ofsted rating over recent inspections.
Academically, Greyfriars’ most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it Good across all categories, including quality of education, behaviour, personal development, and sixth-form provision. This marks a notable improvement from its previous inspection in 2019, when the school was judged Inadequate overall. At Key Stage 4, the school’s Progress 8 score is -0.04, which is classed as Average and sits slightly above the Oxfordshire LA average of -0.07. Attainment 8 stands at 40.4, and 56.1% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is 15.3%, with 9.6% achieving the full EBacc at grade 4 or above. At Key Stage 5, the picture is more mixed: the sixth form’s value-added score is -0.62, rated well below average, and the average points per entry is 15.79, equating to a D- grade. The best three A-levels average out at a D grade.
The school offers a solid range of facilities, including science labs, art studios, a swimming pool, a sports hall, astro turf, music rooms, a chapel, and a dedicated sixth-form centre. Sports on offer include hockey, rowing, martial arts, and athletics, while clubs range from the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to coding, orchestra, and gardening. SEND provision covers specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. Greyfriars is a faith school with a Roman Catholic character, and its oversubscription suggests strong local demand, particularly from families seeking a secondary with a religious foundation. It may suit parents who value a Good-rated school with improving outcomes and a broad extracurricular offer, though those prioritising top-tier academic results might look to the higher-ranked peers in the area.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Cricket Road, Greyfriars Catholic School, Oxford, Oxford, OX4 3DR |
| Headteacher | Lyndsey Caldwell |
| Local Authority | Oxfordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 670 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 28.8% |
| School Capacity | 670 / 1,200 (56% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
11 Oct 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 27 Nov 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.04)
1631st of 3,141
Nationally
254th of 461
In South East
5th of 7
In Oxford
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
19.9
'22/23
19.9
'23/24
15.8
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where school leavers go
2022/2334%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 35 pupils).
- Employment46%
- University (HE)34%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained6%
- Further education3%
- Other education3%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology23
- Sociology22
- Chemistry18
- Mathematics18
- Biology13
- English Literature10
- Physics10
- Physical Education / Sports Studies9
- Geography8
- History7
- Film Studies5
- Design and Technology (Product Design)3
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed119
201
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
61 families put this school as their 1st choice (30% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- Asian26.2%
- White British18.5%
- Mixed12.2%
- White (other)10.9%
- Black0.1%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
12
Total schools
11
Oversubscribed
9
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About Greyfriars Catholic School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Cricket Road, Greyfriars Catholic School, Oxford
Oxford, OX4 3DR
Cricket Road, Greyfriars Catholic School, Oxford
Oxford, OX4 3DR
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at Greyfriars Catholic School!
Write a Review