St Mark's West Essex Catholic School
97%
Capacity
1,082
Pupils
2.7x
Demand
About St Mark's West Essex Catholic School
St Mark's West Essex Catholic School in Harlow is a mixed 11-18 state secondary that is currently running close to full capacity, with 1,082 pupils against a school capacity of 1,120. The school serves a community where 19.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average and suggests a relatively high level of disadvantage among its intake. Demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 486 applications for 179 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.72. Of those applicants, 200 put St Mark's as their first preference, and 172 first-preference offers were made, indicating that while the school is popular, not every first-choice applicant secures a place. The school's Roman Catholic character likely shapes its intake, though the data does not specify faith-based admissions criteria.
Academically, St Mark's holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, a grade it has maintained since its previous inspection in 2013. However, the sixth form provision was rated as Requires improvement, which is a notable weak spot. At Key Stage 4, the school's Progress 8 score is -0.04, which is broadly in line with the national average and better than the Essex local authority average of -0.18. The Attainment 8 score is 45.7, and 62.2% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is high at 71.5%, though only 19.8% achieved the full EBacc at grade 5 or above. In the sixth form, the value-added score is -0.15, and the average points per entry is 24.03, equivalent to a D+ grade. Nationally, St Mark's ranks in the 52nd percentile for Progress 8, placing it in the middle of the pack.
The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a theatre, sports hall, swimming pool, astro turf, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports on offer include rowing, rugby, netball, and martial arts, while extracurricular clubs cover drama, Model UN, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, coding, and eco club. St Mark's also provides support for a broad spectrum of special educational needs, including dyslexia, autism, speech and language difficulties, and physical disabilities. With its strong demand and Catholic identity, the school is likely to suit families who prioritise a faith-based secondary education within a large, well-equipped setting. The sixth form's Requires improvement rating means parents considering post-16 options may want to investigate further, but for Key Stage 4, the school performs solidly relative to its local authority.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Tripton Road, Harlow, Harlow, CM18 6AA |
| Headteacher | John Taylor |
| Local Authority | Essex |
| Number of Pupils | 1,082 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 19.5% |
| School Capacity | 1,082 / 1,120 (97% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
22 Feb 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 26 Apr 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.04)
1628th of 3,141
Nationally
183rd of 350
In East of England
1st of 7
In Harlow
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
26.2
'22/23
27.4
'23/24
24.0
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
2022/2365%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 168 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)65%
- FE college27%
- Employment3%
- Not sustained2%
- Sixth form college1%
- Apprenticeship1%
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
2022/2377%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 97 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
12%
Russell Group
14%
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)77%
- Employment10%
- Further education5%
- Not sustained4%
- Apprenticeship2%
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- Psychology40
- Sociology27
- Law17
- Media/Film/Tv Studies17
- Biology15
- Mathematics12
- Design and Technology (Product Design)11
- Business Studies:Single9
- Physical Education / Sports Studies9
- Geography8
- Government and Politics8
- Physics8
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
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed179
486
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
200 families put this school as their 1st choice (41% 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British41.5%
- White (other)14.0%
- Asian10.0%
- Mixed6.8%
- Black1.6%
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.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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.
18
Total schools
15
Oversubscribed
13
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 Mark's West Essex Catholic School
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
Tripton Road, Harlow
Harlow, CM18 6AA
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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