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St Mary's Catholic High School, A Catholic Voluntary Academy

Chesterfield, S41 8AGSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Outstanding
Jun 2024
Progress 8
+0.50
Well above average
−20+2
Competition
1.3×
Oversubscribed
257 1st-choice / 206 places
Ranking
🏆Top 25%
#495 of 3,141 nationally

About St Mary's Catholic High School, A Catholic Voluntary Academy

St Mary's Catholic High School in Chesterfield sits within Derbyshire local authority and is the top-ranked secondary in the area based on Progress 8 scores, placing first out of nine schools in Chesterfield and first out of 46 secondaries across the wider Derbyshire LA. Its closest peers by ranking score are The Ecclesbourne School, Brookfield Community School, and Outwood Academy Newbold, but St Mary's leads the group with a Progress 8 score of 0.5, well above the local authority average of -0.11. The school is one of only two secondaries in Derbyshire rated Outstanding by Ofsted, a grade it has held consistently across its two most recent inspections, the latest of which took place in 2024. Headteacher Maria Dengate leads a mixed Roman Catholic secondary for pupils aged 11 to 18, with 1,358 pupils on roll — above its official capacity of 1,260 — reflecting strong local demand.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressNewbold Road, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, S41 8AG
HeadteacherMaria Dengate
Local AuthorityDerbyshire
Number of Pupils1,358
Free School Meals (FSM)16.5%
School Capacity1,358 / 1,260 (108% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, 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

26 Jun 2024
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of Education
Outstanding
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Sixth Form Provision
Outstanding

Source: Ofsted, 14 Jul 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

10
Sports HallTheatreICT SuiteMusic RoomsSwimming PoolScience LabsLibraryDining HallChapelSixth Form Centre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

17

Sports

HockeyBadmintonFootballAthleticsDanceRowingRugby

Clubs & Activities

ChoirEco ClubOrchestraFilm ClubNewspaperBook ClubModel United NationsDebateScience ClubDuke of Edinburgh

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About St Mary's Catholic High School, A Catholic Voluntary Academy

St Mary's Catholic High School, A Catholic Voluntary Academy has been rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted. This means the school provides an exceptional quality of education, and pupils thrive both academically and personally.