St John's Catholic School & Sixth Form College
91%
Capacity
1,268
Pupils
2.1x
Demand
About St John's Catholic School & Sixth Form College
St John's Catholic School & Sixth Form College in County Durham holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it maintained following an ungraded inspection in 2024. The school's most telling academic metric is its Progress 8 score of 0.16, which places pupils' progress well above the local authority average of -0.21. This positive score means that, on average, students at St John's achieve nearly a fifth of a grade more per subject across eight GCSEs than pupils in similar schools nationally. The school ranks 10th out of 31 secondary schools in County Durham on this measure, putting it in the top third locally and in the top 40 per cent nationally. Its Attainment 8 score sits at 50.6, and 56 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths — a strong benchmark for a school where just over a quarter of students are eligible for free school meals.
Digging deeper into the exam data, St John's shows particular strength in English, with a Progress 8 score of 0.38, while maths progress is slightly negative at -0.08. The school's EBacc entry rate is 27.8 per cent, and 13 per cent of pupils achieved the full EBacc at grade 5 or above. In the sixth form, the picture is similarly solid: A-level students achieved an average points per entry of 34.93, equivalent to a C+ grade, and the best three A-levels averaged a B-. The value-added score for sixth formers is 0.15, with a progress banding of 'Average', indicating that students continue to make expected progress post-16. The school's Ofsted report notes that sixth-form provision is also rated Good, and the leadership and management team, led by headteacher Lisa Byron, received the same grade.
The school is significantly oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 435 applications for 202 places, with 193 first-preference offers made. This suggests strong local demand, particularly from Catholic families, though the school is open to all. Facilities include a swimming pool, sports hall, science labs, a chapel, and a dedicated sixth form centre. The school offers a wide range of sports from netball to rowing, and clubs covering everything from coding to Young Enterprise. Its SEND provision is comprehensive, supporting students with specific learning difficulties, autism, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. St John's Catholic School is a good fit for families seeking a large, inclusive secondary with strong academic progress, a clear Catholic character, and a sixth form that keeps students on track.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Woodhouse Lane, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 6JT |
| Headteacher | Lisa Byron |
| Local Authority | County Durham |
| Number of Pupils | 1,268 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 26.9% |
| School Capacity | 1,268 / 1,400 (91% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
9 May 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (9 May 2024): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 4 Mar 2019. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.16)
1174th of 3,141
Nationally
32nd of 142
In North East
10th of 31
In County Durham
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
37.8
'22/23
34.7
'23/24
34.9
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
2022/2358%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 238 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)58%
- FE college22%
- Sixth form college8%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Employment4%
- Not sustained2%
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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2365%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 94 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
17%
Russell Group
19%
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)65%
- Employment15%
- Apprenticeship11%
- Not sustained7%
- Further education2%
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- Psychology28
- History26
- Media/Film/Tv Studies26
- Mathematics16
- Law14
- Religious Studies12
- Biology10
- Computer Studies / Computing10
- English Literature10
- Chemistry9
- Physical Education / Sports Studies9
- English Language and Literature8
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
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed202
435
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
193 families put this school as their 1st choice (44% 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British87.5%
- White (other)3.8%
- Mixed2.5%
- Asian2.3%
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.
12
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
7
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About St John's Catholic School & Sixth Form College
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
Woodhouse Lane, Bishop Auckland
County Durham, DL14 6JT
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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