St James' Catholic High School
90%
Capacity
1,254
Pupils
2.4x
Demand
About St James' Catholic High School
Parents considering St James' Catholic High School will find a school that is clearly in demand. For the 2025/26 admissions cycle, the school received 424 applications for 177 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.4 applicants per place. Of those, 93 families made it their first preference, and all 93 were offered a place. This level of competition suggests strong local confidence in the school. While the school does not publish a parent satisfaction survey, the high number of applications relative to places is a practical signal that families in Barnet are actively choosing St James'. The school is a mixed Roman Catholic secondary with a sixth form, serving 1,254 pupils against a capacity of 1,400. It is led by headteacher Anthony Ellul and was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, a grade it has held consistently across its previous inspections.
Academically, St James' performs solidly against national averages, though it sits below the Barnet local authority average for Progress 8. The school's Progress 8 score is 0.32, meaning pupils make about a third of a grade more progress per subject than the national average. However, the Barnet LA average for Progress 8 is 0.6, placing St James' 24th out of 32 similar schools in the borough. Its Attainment 8 score is 50.7, and 71.4% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The school has a strong focus on the English Baccalaureate, with 68.3% of pupils entered for the EBacc suite of subjects and 41% achieving a grade 4 or above across all five pillars. At A-level, the school's value-added score is 0.17, rated above average, with pupils averaging a C+ grade per entry and 12.5% achieving at least AAB in two facilitating subjects.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, tennis courts, astro turf, a sports hall, and a chapel, plus a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports provision is broad, with rowing, martial arts, and gymnastics alongside more traditional options. There is a strong co-curricular programme with clubs covering drama, Model UN, debate, and science. St James' also provides for a wide spectrum of SEND needs, including support for dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health needs. With 30% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake. This is a school that suits families who value a Catholic ethos, a broad curriculum, and a strong sixth form, and who are comfortable with a large, oversubscribed secondary that performs well nationally but sits in the middle of a high-performing local authority.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Great Strand, London, Barnet, NW9 5PE |
| Headteacher | Anthony Ellul |
| Local Authority | Barnet |
| Number of Pupils | 1,254 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 30.0% |
| School Capacity | 1,254 / 1,400 (90% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
5 May 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (5 May 2022): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 26 Apr 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.32)
798th of 3,141
Nationally
235th of 487
In London
23rd of 28
In Barnet
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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
37.0
'22/23
37.4
'23/24
32.9
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2360%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 178 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)60%
- FE college18%
- Sixth form college11%
- Not sustained4%
- Employment3%
- Apprenticeship2%
95% 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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2373%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 93 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
19%
Russell Group
23%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)73%
- Employment11%
- Not sustained5%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Further education1%
- Other education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Sociology22
- Mathematics16
- English Literature14
- Chemistry13
- Art and Design12
- Biology11
- Business Studies:Single10
- Psychology10
- Economics9
- Design and Technology (Product Design)8
- Geography7
- Government and Politics7
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed177
424
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
93 families put this school as their 1st choice (22% 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 75% 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White (other)33.3%
- White British12.8%
- Asian11.8%
- Mixed10.8%
- Black1.4%
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
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% 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.
15
Total schools
15
Oversubscribed
10
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 James' Catholic High 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
Great Strand, London
Barnet, NW9 5PE
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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