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St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School

Medway, ME1 2FASecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
2 Good · 3 Requires improvement
Oct 2024
Progress 8
-0.55
Well below average
−20+2
Competition
0.7×
Not oversubscribed
119 1st-choice / 179 places
Ranking
#2,670
of 3,141 nationally

About St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School

St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School in Medway is a mixed secondary with a Roman Catholic character that currently educates 1,105 pupils against a capacity of 1,185, meaning it operates close to full but with a small margin of spare places. The school serves a community with significant economic disadvantage: 33.3 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a figure well above the national average and a clear marker of the local intake. Demand for places is extremely high — for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 562 applications for 179 places, an oversubscription ratio of 3.14 to one. Of those applicants, 119 put St John Fisher as their first preference, and 113 first-preference offers were made, suggesting that while the school is popular, not all who want a place can get one. This level of competition, combined with the high FSM percentage, paints a picture of a school that is both a community anchor and a sought-after option for Catholic families in Medway.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressCity Way, Rochester, Medway, ME1 2FA
HeadteacherDympna Lennon
Local AuthorityMedway
Number of Pupils1,105
Free School Meals (FSM)33.3%
School Capacity1,105 / 1,185 (93% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

What 53 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

29 Oct 2024
View Report
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Requires improvement
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Requires improvement
Sixth Form Provision
Good

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.

Source: Ofsted, 16 Jan 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

8
Music RoomsSwimming PoolICT SuitePlaying FieldsArt StudiosAstro TurfChapelSixth Form Centre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

17

Sports

NetballCross CountryMartial ArtsRugbyBadmintonAthleticsRoundersFootball

Clubs & Activities

Film ClubOrchestraDebateCodingGardeningYoung EnterpriseArt ClubScience ClubDuke of Edinburgh

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyMulti-SensoryOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:30 – 15:15

Source: stjohnfisher.school. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School

St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.