St Dominic's Sixth Form College

About St Dominic's Sixth Form College

St Dominic's Sixth Form College is a state-funded Roman Catholic sixth form in Harrow, and while it does not publish a parent recommendation percentage, its oversubscription ratio offers a clear signal of local demand. The school has a capacity of 150 places, and with 34.1% of students eligible for free school meals, it serves a notably diverse intake. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, the college was rated Good overall, but inspectors awarded Outstanding marks for sixth-form provision, personal development, and behaviour and attitudes. This suggests that while the school may not be the first choice for every family in the borough, those who do choose it often find a focused, well-regarded environment for post-16 study. The leadership and management were rated Good, and the school has held a Good rating across both its recent inspections, the previous one being in 2013. For parents weighing up options, the combination of a strong sixth-form rating and a clear Catholic ethos makes this a distinctive choice within Harrow's state secondary landscape.

Academically, the picture is more mixed. At Key Stage 4, St Dominic's Progress 8 score was -0.67, placing it well below average nationally and ranking it 13th out of 13 schools in Harrow. The local authority average Progress 8 score is 0.36, so the college sits significantly below that benchmark. Attainment 8 stood at 19, and only 22.2% of students achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. No students entered the EBacc, and the EBacc average point score was 1.29. Progress in English was particularly weak at -1.35, while maths progress was closer to the national average at -0.08. The school's ranking places it in the bottom 50 nationally, at the 89th percentile. However, these figures reflect the cohort's starting points and the college's open-access admissions policy, which may attract students who have struggled elsewhere. The sixth-form provision, rated Outstanding, likely tells a different story for post-16 outcomes, though specific A-level results are not included in this data.

The college offers a solid range of facilities, including a swimming pool, sports hall, gymnasium, astro turf, playing fields, and a dedicated sixth form centre, plus a chapel reflecting its Roman Catholic character. Sports on offer include martial arts, gymnastics, hockey, football, and rugby, while extracurricular clubs span science, coding, drama, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, and a school newspaper. For students with special educational needs, the school provides support for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia. Located in Harrow, the college is 1.1 km from Whitmore High School, the nearest Outstanding-rated school in the borough. Given its open-access sixth form and strong Ofsted grades for personal development and behaviour, St Dominic's is likely to suit families who prioritise a supportive, faith-based environment over raw academic league table performance, particularly for students entering post-16 education after a less successful Key Stage 4 experience elsewhere.

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