St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Academy
73%
Capacity
548
Pupils
2.6x
Demand
About St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Academy
St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Academy sits in an interesting spot academically within St. Helens. Its Progress 8 score of -0.05 is notably stronger than the local authority average of -0.31 for secondary schools, placing it third out of nine schools in the borough. That puts the school in the top third locally, and nationally it lands around the middle of the pack. The Attainment 8 score of 45 is solid, and 59.2% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. Where the school really stands out is in English, with a Progress 8 score of +0.64, meaning pupils make significantly more progress in English than the national average. Maths is the weaker subject, with a Progress 8 score of -0.51, and the EBacc entry rate is low at 18.4%, with only 14.6% of pupils achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above.
The school has had a notable turnaround in its most recent Ofsted inspection. In December 2024, inspectors judged the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management all as Good, upgrading from a Requires Improvement rating in its previous inspection in 2021. The school is a Roman Catholic secondary for pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form, and is led by headteacher Giselle Lynch. Parent View responses, based on 34 respondents, show a mixed picture: 68% of parents would recommend the school, and 85% agree or strongly agree that the school has high expectations for their child. However, only 47% feel concerns are dealt with properly, and 38% would not recommend the school. The school has a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 46.8%, well above the national average.
The school is heavily oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 267 applications for 102 places and 99 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.62. Facilities include a sports hall, gymnasium, astro turf, tennis courts, science labs, a theatre, and a chapel. The school offers a range of sports including rowing, rugby, and hockey, plus clubs such as coding, drama, and Young Enterprise. SEND provisions cover eight areas, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. This is a school that suits families looking for a Catholic secondary with improving Ofsted grades and strong English outcomes, but it's worth noting the mixed parent feedback and the fact that maths progress is below average. The lack of a sixth form means pupils will need to plan for post-16 options elsewhere.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Boardmans Lane, St. Helens, St. Helens, WA11 9BB |
| Headteacher | Giselle Lynch |
| Local Authority | St. Helens |
| Number of Pupils | 548 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 46.8% |
| School Capacity | 548 / 750 (73% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
3 Dec 2024Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Source: Ofsted, 28 Jan 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.05)
1649th of 3,141
Nationally
182nd of 445
In North West
3rd of 9
In St. Helens
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.
Ofsted Parent View
34 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
12Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed102
267
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
99 families put this school as their 1st choice (37% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:00
Breakfast club
08:15-08:30
Source: staugs.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British82.8%
- White (other)5.7%
- Asian3.0%
- Mixed1.5%
- Black0.2%
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.
7
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
6
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Academy
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
Boardmans Lane, St. Helens
St. Helens, WA11 9BB
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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