Saint Benedict, A Catholic Voluntary Academy

About Saint Benedict, A Catholic Voluntary Academy

Saint Benedict, A Catholic Voluntary Academy in Derby has been rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection, a significant turnaround from its previous Inadequate rating in 2016. The school’s Progress 8 score of 0.31 is the most telling academic metric here: it means pupils achieve nearly a third of a grade higher per subject than the national average, and it places the school second out of 15 secondary schools in Derby. That score is well above the local authority average of -0.31, so students here are making notably stronger progress than their peers across the city. The school’s Attainment 8 score sits at 49.3, and 66.7% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc average point score is 4.36, and 35% of pupils entered the EBacc combination of subjects.

At A-level, the sixth form is also rated Good by Ofsted. The average points per entry is 31.77, equivalent to a C+ grade, and the best three A-levels average out at a C grade. The value added score is -0.01, which is essentially neutral — students achieve about what you’d expect given their prior attainment. The proportion of students achieving AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects is 10.9%. Nationally, the school ranks in the top 26% of schools for Progress 8, and in the East Midlands it sits 58th out of 273 schools. With a Progress 8 banding of ‘Above average’, this is a school where academic outcomes are consistently stronger than the norm, particularly in open subjects and the EBacc.

The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 244 places in Year 7, there were 500 total applications and 213 first-preference applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.05. Facilities include a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, sports hall, chapel, and a sixth form centre. There’s a wide range of clubs and sports on offer, from rowing and martial arts to Model UN and Young Enterprise. The school has a resourced provision and supports pupils with a range of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. With 30.3% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake. Saint Benedict is a strong fit for families who want a Catholic secondary with a sixth form, solid academic progress, and a broad extracurricular offer in a popular, oversubscribed setting.

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