St John Fisher Catholic Academy
93%
Capacity
1,280
Pupils
3.1x
Demand
About St John Fisher Catholic Academy
St John Fisher Catholic Academy is a mixed state secondary school in North Yorkshire, one of 43 schools of its type in the local authority. It ranks 7th in the county for Progress 8, placing it comfortably in the top quarter of schools nationally. The three highest-performing peers in the LA are St Francis Xavier School, St Aidan's Church of England High School, and Ripon Grammar School, all of which score above St John Fisher on the same metric. The nearest school rated Outstanding by Ofsted is Harrogate Grammar School, 1.9 km away. St John Fisher itself was graded Good overall in its most recent inspection in December 2022, with Good marks across every category including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership, and sixth-form provision. That inspection marked a change from its previous Outstanding rating in 2006, but the school remains a strong performer in a competitive local landscape.
Academically, St John Fisher delivers well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.59 is significantly higher than the North Yorkshire average of 0.07, meaning pupils make nearly two-thirds of a grade more progress per subject than peers nationally. Attainment 8 sits at 57.9, and 82.1% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc average point score is 4.93, though only 15.7% of pupils entered the full EBacc suite. At A-level, the school’s value-added score of 0.22 is rated Above average, with a points-per-entry grade of B- and 23.2% of entries achieving AAB or higher. The sixth form is large, with 500 students, and the best three A-levels average out at a B- grade. These results place the school 6th out of 39 secondary schools in North Yorkshire and 21st out of 306 in Yorkshire and the Humber.
The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 190 places in the 2025/26 intake, it received 593 applications, a ratio of 3.12 applicants per place, with 149 first-preference offers made. Facilities include a swimming pool, theatre, chapel, sixth form centre, and extensive sports grounds, with clubs ranging from DofE and debate to coding and choir. The school supports a wide range of SEND needs, including dyslexia, autism, speech and language difficulties, and physical disabilities. With a relatively low free school meals rate of 9.2%, St John Fisher draws from a broadly affluent catchment. It suits families who want a Catholic secondary with strong academic outcomes, a large sixth form, and a full programme of extracurriculars, and who are prepared for competitive admissions.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Hookstone Drive, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG2 8PT |
| Headteacher | Steve Mort |
| Local Authority | North Yorkshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,280 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 9.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,280 / 1,383 (93% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
13 Dec 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 12 Feb 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.59)
386th of 3,141
Nationally
21st of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
6th of 39
In North Yorkshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly 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
40.0
'22/23
36.0
'23/24
37.5
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
2022/2370%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 236 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)70%
- FE college20%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Employment2%
- Not sustained2%
- Sixth form college1%
98% 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.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology122
- Biology120
- Mathematics103
- Chemistry77
- History75
- Economics68
- Physics64
- Business Studies:Single57
- Geography57
- Sociology54
- Government and Politics53
- Media/Film/Tv Studies45
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
12Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed190
593
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
149 families put this school as their 1st choice (25% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% 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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British74.1%
- White (other)7.4%
- Mixed6.0%
- Asian4.1%
- Black0.1%
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.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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.
6
Total schools
5
Oversubscribed
4
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 John Fisher Catholic Academy
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
Hookstone Drive, Harrogate
North Yorkshire, HG2 8PT
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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