St Columba's Catholic Boys' School
90%
Capacity
809
Pupils
2.0x
Demand
About St Columba's Catholic Boys' School
St Columba's Catholic Boys' School sits in the Bexley local authority, a London borough with 17 state secondary schools. Among them, it ranks 7th by Progress 8, placing it in the top half of the local field. The three highest-performing schools in the area are all grammar schools: Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School, St Catherine's Catholic School, and Townley Grammar School. As a non-selective Catholic boys' school for ages 11 to 16, St Columba's occupies a distinct niche. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in November 2024, confirmed that standards are maintained, and the school retains its Good rating. The previous graded inspection, in September 2014, also rated the school Good overall, with leadership and management judged Good. The school is oversubscribed: for 135 places in 2025/26, it received 270 applications, with 77 first-preference offers. That 2:1 ratio suggests strong local demand from families who value its Catholic character and single-sex environment.
Academically, St Columba's delivers results that are broadly in line with the national average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.04 is just above the Bexley LA average of 0.03, and the score is classified as Average. In English, the school's Progress 8 score is -0.19, while in maths it is a stronger 0.18. The Attainment 8 score sits at 47.4, and 67.5% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, with 49.7% reaching grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 4.07, though only 20.1% of pupils entered the EBacc combination of subjects. Parent feedback is notably positive: 91% of respondents would recommend the school, and 95% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy. Strong majorities also felt the school has high expectations and that their child does well there.
The school's facilities include a swimming pool, sports hall, theatre, music rooms, science labs, and a chapel. Sports on offer include football, basketball, hockey, rowing, and cross country, while clubs range from orchestra and choir to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, art club, and gardening. The school has a range of SEND provisions, including support for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. However, only 16% of parent respondents said their child has SEND, and among those, 77% agreed or strongly agreed that the school provides the support needed. With no sixth form, pupils move on elsewhere after Year 11. This is a school for families who want a Catholic, single-sex secondary with solid academic outcomes, strong parental satisfaction, and a clear sense of community — and who are prepared to compete for a place.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Boys |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Halcot Avenue, Bexleyheath, Bexley, DA6 7QB |
| Headteacher | Dave Evans |
| Local Authority | Bexley |
| Number of Pupils | 809 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 21.7% |
| School Capacity | 809 / 900 (90% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
27 Nov 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (27 Nov 2024): Standards maintained
Source: Ofsted, 28 Oct 2014. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.04)
1426th of 3,141
Nationally
346th of 487
In London
7th of 16
In Bexley
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
80 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed135
270
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
77 families put this school as their 1st choice (29% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British18.2%
- Asian13.1%
- Mixed7.2%
- White (other)3.6%
- Black1.5%
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
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half 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
7
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About St Columba's Catholic Boys' 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
Halcot Avenue, Bexleyheath
Bexley, DA6 7QB
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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