St Damian's RC Science College
100%
Capacity
827
Pupils
3.6x
Demand
About St Damian's RC Science College
St Damian's RC Science College is a mixed, Roman Catholic secondary school in Tameside, serving 827 pupils aged 11 to 16. In a local authority with 18 secondary schools, it ranks 4th by Progress 8 score, placing it in the top quarter of Tameside schools. The three highest-performing peers in the borough are Laurus Ryecroft, Fairfield High School for Girls, and St Thomas More RC College. St Damian's is one of only two schools in Tameside rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and its most recent graded inspection in 2017 awarded it top marks across the board, with both overall effectiveness and leadership and management judged Outstanding. An ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed the school continues to meet that standard. Oversubscription is fierce: for 157 places in 2025/26, the school received 565 applications, a ratio of 3.6 applicants per place, with 208 first-preference applications for just 145 first-preference offers.
Academically, St Damian's delivers results well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.24 is rated Above Average, compared with the Tameside average of -0.19, meaning pupils here make significantly more progress than their peers across the borough. The Attainment 8 score sits at 52.8, and 81.3% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, with 66.3% reaching grade 5 or above. The school also pushes the English Baccalaureate: 77.5% of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects, and 51.9% achieved it at grade 4 or higher. Progress in English is particularly strong at 0.37, while maths and EBacc subjects both sit at 0.25. The EBacc average point score of 4.98 reflects solid, consistent performance across the core academic subjects. There is no sixth form, so all pupils leave at 16.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a library, ICT suite, science labs, gymnasium, tennis courts, and a chapel. Sports on offer include athletics, badminton, football, netball, rowing, and martial arts, while clubs range from the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and Model UN to chess, eco club, and film club. SEND provision is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language challenges, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. For Catholic families in Tameside seeking a high-performing, oversubscribed school with a strong academic record and a clear faith character, St Damian's is a compelling choice, though securing a place requires a first-preference application and a degree of luck.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Lees Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, OL6 8BH |
| Headteacher | Sheldon Logue |
| Local Authority | Tameside |
| Number of Pupils | 827 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 24.4% |
| School Capacity | 827 / 825 (100% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
7 Jun 2023Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Latest inspection (7 Jun 2023): School remains Outstanding
Source: Ofsted, 28 Dec 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.24)
973rd of 3,141
Nationally
98th of 445
In North West
4th of 16
In Tameside
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/232%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 161 pupils).
- Sixth form college61%
- FE college25%
- Apprenticeship6%
- School sixth form (stay)2%
- Employment2%
- Not sustained2%
97% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
14Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed157
565
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
208 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.
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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British67.1%
- White (other)14.0%
- Mixed5.7%
- Asian4.9%
- 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
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
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
6
Oversubscribed
5
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 Damian's RC Science College
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
Lees Road, Ashton-under-Lyne
Tameside, OL6 8BH
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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