St Mary's Catholic High School
55%
Capacity
564
Pupils
2.6x
Demand
About St Mary's Catholic High School
Parent feedback at St Mary's Catholic High School is notably positive, with 77% of respondents saying they would recommend the school to other parents, based on 150 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025. The school is clearly popular locally: for the 2025/26 academic year, it received 478 applications for 183 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.61. Of those applications, 132 were first-preference offers, meaning every first-preference applicant secured a place. On individual questions, strong majorities agreed that their child is happy (88% combining strongly agree and agree) and feels safe (90%). Parents also felt the school has high expectations (82% agreement) and that their child does well (82%). The school's capacity is 1,029 but it currently has 564 pupils on roll, which suggests it is operating well below capacity despite being oversubscribed — likely reflecting its selective faith-based admissions criteria rather than a lack of demand.
Academically, St Mary's is a strong performer in Croydon. Its Progress 8 score of 0.43 is well above the local authority average of -0.04, placing it third out of 22 secondary schools in the borough and in the top 25% nationally. The Attainment 8 score of 54.6 is solid, and 81.2% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The school also has a strong EBacc entry rate of 66.7%, with 44.1% achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above. At A-level, the school's value-added score of 0.16 is rated above average, with pupils averaging 34.93 points per entry (equivalent to a C+ grade). The most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2024 judged the school Outstanding for quality of education and behaviour and attitudes, with Good for leadership and management, personal development, and sixth-form provision. This is consistent with its previous Outstanding rating from 2012.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, art studios, a chapel, and a dedicated sixth-form centre. Sports include rugby, martial arts, dance, and basketball, while clubs range from Model UN and Debate to Young Enterprise and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. SEND provision covers eight categories including dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and speech, language and communication needs, though parent views on SEND support were more mixed — 47% agreed the school gives SEND children the support they need, while 43% disagreed. As a Roman Catholic secondary with a sixth form, the school will appeal particularly to Catholic families in Croydon who value strong academic outcomes and a faith-based environment. Its oversubscription ratio of 2.61 means it is competitive, but first-preference applicants have historically been successful.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Woburn Road, Croydon, Croydon, CR9 2EE |
| Headteacher | Conal Patrick Shields |
| Local Authority | Croydon |
| Number of Pupils | 564 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 8.6% |
| School Capacity | 564 / 1,029 (55% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
8 Oct 2024Quality of Education
Outstanding
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 11 Dec 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.43)
595th of 3,141
Nationally
191st of 487
In London
3rd of 22
In Croydon
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
36.2
'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 school leavers go
2022/2354%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 101 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
40%
Russell Group
46%
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)54%
- Employment33%
- Apprenticeship9%
- Not sustained2%
- Further education1%
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.
Ofsted Parent View
150 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
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed183
478
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
132 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 half 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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British47.9%
- White (other)13.8%
- Mixed8.8%
- Asian4.4%
- Black1.4%
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.
24
Total schools
16
Oversubscribed
18
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 Mary's Catholic High 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
Woburn Road, Croydon
Croydon, CR9 2EE
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at St Mary's Catholic High School!
Write a Review