Classpot

St John's Catholic Comprehensive

Gravesham, DA12 2JWSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Jan 2025
Progress 8
+0.11
Above average
−20+2
Competition
1.5×
Oversubscribed
275 1st-choice / 187 places
Ranking
#1,290
of 3,141 nationally

About St John's Catholic Comprehensive

St John's Catholic Comprehensive is a heavily oversubscribed secondary school in Gravesham, and the numbers tell a clear story of demand. For its 187 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 807 applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 4. 32. Of those, 275 were first-preference applications, and 169 first-preference offers were made. The school is currently operating above its official capacity of 1,184, with 1,322 pupils on roll. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 26. 7%, which is notably higher than the national average for secondary schools, suggesting a genuinely comprehensive intake. As a Roman Catholic school, its religious character will be a factor for many families, though the admissions data does not specify how places are allocated by faith. The school is mixed, covers ages 11 to 18, and is led by headteacher Matthew Barron.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressRochester Road, Gravesend, Gravesham, DA12 2JW
HeadteacherMatthew Barron
Local AuthorityKent
Number of Pupils1,322
Free School Meals (FSM)26.7%
School Capacity1,322 / 1,184 (112% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

What 137 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

8 Jan 2025
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form Provision
Good

Latest monitoring visit (8 Jan 2025): Standards maintained

Source: Ofsted, 4 Dec 2014. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageVisionLearning DifficultySevere LearningProfound LearningOther

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:40 – 15:30

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About St John's Catholic Comprehensive

St John's Catholic Comprehensive has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.