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St John Fisher Catholic Voluntary Academy

Kirklees, WF13 4LLSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
3 Good · 2 Requires improvement
Mar 2025
Progress 8
-0.99
Well below average
−20+2
Competition
0.6×
Not oversubscribed
113 1st-choice / 184 places
Ranking
#3,013
of 3,141 nationally

About St John Fisher Catholic Voluntary Academy

St John Fisher Catholic Voluntary Academy sits in the Kirklees local authority, a Roman Catholic secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 18. In terms of academic progress, it ranks 24th out of 24 schools of the same type in the borough, placing it at the very bottom of the local league table. The top-performing peers in the area are Heckmondwike Grammar School, Holmfirth High School, and Shelley College, A Share Academy, all of which achieve significantly stronger Progress 8 scores. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, carried out in March 2025, rated its overall effectiveness as not judged, but the graded inspection gave it a Requires Improvement rating. That said, the picture is mixed: behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and sixth-form provision were all rated Good, while leadership and management and quality of education were judged as Requires Improvement. This is a school that has clearly made some strides since its previous inspection in 2022, when it was rated Inadequate overall.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressOxford Road, Dewsbury, Kirklees, WF13 4LL
HeadteacherKarl Mackey
Local AuthorityKirklees
Number of Pupils928
Free School Meals (FSM)42.2%
School Capacity928 / 1,069 (87% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

What 51 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

25 Mar 2025
View Report
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
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, 18 Jun 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

13
Swimming PoolLibraryTheatreDining HallSports HallTennis CourtsGymnasiumArt StudiosICT SuiteMusic RoomsAstro TurfChapelSixth Form Centre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

17

Sports

RowingCricketDanceAthleticsBadmintonFootballSwimmingGymnasticsNetball

Clubs & Activities

Duke of EdinburghScience ClubChoirCodingChessGardeningYoung EnterpriseModel United Nations

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

SEND Support

Mental HealthSpeech & LanguagePhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:40 – 15:10

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About St John Fisher Catholic Voluntary Academy

St John Fisher Catholic Voluntary Academy 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.