St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham

About St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham

St Leonard’s Catholic School in Durham is a mixed state secondary that is essentially full, with 1,260 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,265. The school serves a community where 13.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is below the national average for secondary schools. Demand is high: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 481 applications for 192 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.51, and all 176 first-preference applicants were offered a place. The school is Roman Catholic by religious character, which may shape its intake, though the data does not specify faith-based admissions criteria. Headteacher Christopher Hammill leads a school that has seen a remarkable turnaround in its most recent Ofsted inspection: in October 2024, inspectors awarded Outstanding across all five graded categories — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. This is a significant improvement from its previous inspection in January 2022, when the school was rated Requires Improvement overall.

Academically, St Leonard’s performs well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.64 is rated ‘Well above average’ and places it second out of 31 secondary schools in County Durham, well ahead of the local authority average of -0.21. The Attainment 8 score of 57.2 reflects strong GCSE outcomes, with 83.2% of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc average point score of 4.81 is solid, though only 23.4% of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects. At A-level, the school’s value-added score of -0.07 is rated ‘Average’, with pupils achieving an average of 35.16 points per entry, equivalent to a B- grade. The best three A-levels averaged a C+ grade. Nationally, St Leonard’s ranks 342nd out of 3,141 schools by Progress 8, placing it in the top 11% of schools across England.

The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, science labs, music rooms, and a chapel. There are clubs covering drama, choir, Model UN, gardening, and eco activities, plus sports such as swimming, rugby, hockey, and martial arts. SEND support is available for a broad spectrum of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. However, the Parent View survey, based on 206 responses, shows mixed feelings on SEND provision: only 46% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need, while 48% disagreed or strongly disagreed. Overall, 83% of parents would recommend the school. This is a popular, high-performing Catholic secondary that suits families prioritising strong GCSE outcomes and a well-resourced environment, though those with SEND children may want to investigate further.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham

Helpful Guides for Parents