Saint George Catholic Voluntary Aided College Southampton

About Saint George Catholic Voluntary Aided College Southampton

Saint George Catholic Voluntary Aided College Southampton was judged Outstanding in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, a significant step up from its previous Good rating in 2011. The inspection report awarded top marks across all four graded categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. But the real story is in the school's exam performance. Its Progress 8 score of 0.82 is classified as 'well above average' nationally, meaning pupils here achieve nearly a grade more per subject than similar students across the country. That score places Saint George first among 11 state secondary schools in Southampton, and in the top six per cent of all schools nationally. For context, the local authority average Progress 8 score is -0.26, so this school is a full 1.08 points above the Southampton norm — a gap that is genuinely unusual.

The school's Attainment 8 score sits at 58.7, and 85.8 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, with 70.1 per cent reaching the higher grade 5 threshold. The English Baccalaureate average point score is 5.17, and 37.1 per cent of students entered the EBacc suite of subjects. Breaking down the Progress 8 figures, the strongest gains came in the 'open' bucket of qualifications (0.95), followed by EBacc subjects (0.83) and English (0.81). Maths progress, while still strong at 0.61, is the relative weak spot — though it remains well above the national average. The school does not have a sixth form, so pupils leave at 16, and the data suggests they are exceptionally well prepared for their next steps. With 18.3 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, these results are particularly impressive and point to strong teaching across the board.

The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 553 applications for 179 places, an oversubscription ratio of 3.09, and 282 families put it as their first choice. Facilities are generous for a state school, including a swimming pool, theatre, chapel, music rooms, and a sixth form centre (though the school itself only goes to 16). The sports programme is broad, covering rowing, martial arts, gymnastics, and the usual football and rugby. SEND provision is comprehensive, with support for autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities among others. This is a Catholic school, so its religious character will matter to some families, but the academic outcomes speak for themselves. For parents in Southampton looking for a secondary that combines strong pastoral support with genuinely outstanding results, Saint George is the clear standout in the local authority.

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