St Joseph's College
77%
Capacity
807
Pupils
2.0x
Demand
About St Joseph's College
St Joseph's College, a Roman Catholic boys' secondary in Croydon, posts a Progress 8 score of 0.04, which sits just above the local authority average of -0.04 for state secondaries. That positive, if modest, figure places it 11th out of 22 schools in Croydon, right in the middle of the pack. The school is heavily oversubscribed — 214 applications for 107 places in 2025/26, with all 60 first-preference families receiving offers — which suggests strong local demand. With 36.2% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the intake is notably more disadvantaged than many of its peers, making that slightly-above-average progress score a meaningful achievement. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in March 2025, confirmed that standards are being maintained, and its previous graded inspection in 2020 rated it Good across the board, including for behaviour, personal development, and sixth-form provision.
Academically, the picture is mixed but solid. At GCSE, 65.5% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and the Attainment 8 score sits at 45. The EBacc entry rate is high at 71.3%, though only 28.1% of pupils actually entered the full EBacc qualification. Progress in maths is a clear strength, with a Progress 8 score of +0.26, while English progress is slightly negative at -0.07. At A-level, the picture is more subdued: the school's value-added score of -0.2 is rated below average, and the average points per entry of 27.13 equates to a C- grade. Only 12.5% of entries achieved AAB or higher. The sixth form is relatively small, with 67 pupils in the cohort, and while it is rated Good by Ofsted, the academic outcomes suggest it may be better suited to students aiming for solid B/C grades rather than the most competitive university courses.
Facilities are a real draw: the school has a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, chapel, and dedicated sixth form centre, alongside science labs, music rooms, and art studios. Sports provision is broad, including rowing, rugby, and gymnastics, and there is a strong club offer with Model UN, Young Enterprise, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. The school lists provisions for a wide range of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, and speech and language difficulties, though the Parent View data shows no responses from SEND parents, so it is hard to gauge how well those are delivered in practice. Overall, 83% of the 18 parents who responded would recommend the school. This is a good-fit choice for Catholic families in Croydon who value a disciplined, community-focused environment with decent GCSE outcomes and a broad extracurricular offer, but who are realistic about sixth-form results being more middle-of-the-road.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Boys |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Beulah Hill, London, Croydon, SE19 3HL |
| Headteacher | George Mantillas / Catherine Kane |
| Local Authority | Croydon |
| Number of Pupils | 807 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 36.2% |
| School Capacity | 807 / 1,050 (77% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
26 Mar 2025Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (26 Mar 2025): Standards maintained
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 23 Jun 2020. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.04)
1424th of 3,141
Nationally
345th of 487
In London
11th of 22
In Croydon
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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
29.6
'22/23
24.9
'23/24
27.1
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
2022/2372%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 167 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)72%
- FE college19%
- Sixth form college3%
- Not sustained3%
- Employment1%
94% 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
2022/2367%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 86 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
17%
Russell Group
18%
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)67%
- Employment17%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship1%
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- Mathematics16
- Religious Studies12
- Economics11
- Government and Politics11
- Psychology9
- History8
- Biology7
- Chemistry7
- English Literature7
- Computer Studies / Computing5
- Physics5
- Geography4
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.
Ofsted Parent View
18 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
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
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed107
214
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
60 families put this school as their 1st choice (28% 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.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- Asian25.7%
- Mixed9.0%
- White (other)6.6%
- Black3.2%
- White British3.0%
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
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half 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.
20
Total schools
19
Oversubscribed
14
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 Joseph's 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
Beulah Hill, London
Croydon, SE19 3HL
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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