St Damian's RC Science College
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.
Key Details
The full report on this school
The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
7 Jun 2023Latest monitoring visit (7 Jun 2023): School remains Outstanding
Source: Ofsted, 28 Dec 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
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.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
School day
Teaching hours
09:00 – 15:10
Source: stdamians.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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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