St Francis of Assisi Catholic College
About St Francis of Assisi Catholic College
St Francis of Assisi Catholic College sits within the Walsall local authority, where it ranks 5th out of 18 secondary schools on Progress 8, placing it in the top third of the borough. The three highest-ranked peers in the area are Queen Mary's Grammar School, Queen Mary's High School, and Barr Beacon School, all of which sit above it on the same metric. The school is a state-funded Roman Catholic secondary for mixed pupils aged 11 to 18, with a headteacher named Luke Salkeld. It is significantly oversubscribed: for 174 places in the 2025/26 intake, it received 654 total applications, including 214 first-preference applications, of which 155 were offered. That works out at 3.76 applications for every place, a clear sign of strong local demand. The school's most recent graded Ofsted inspection, in 2013, rated it Good overall, with Good for both leadership and management. An ungraded inspection in 2022 confirmed that it remains Good. Its previous graded inspection, back in 2006, had rated it Outstanding.
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
27 Jan 2022Latest monitoring visit (27 Jan 2022): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 10 Jun 2013. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
8Facilities 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About St Francis of Assisi Catholic 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