St Patrick's Catholic College, A Voluntary Catholic Academy

About St Patrick's Catholic College, A Voluntary Catholic Academy

St Patrick's Catholic College sits slightly below the local authority average for Progress 8, with a score of -0.18 against Stockton-on-Tees's average of -0.11. That places it 9th out of 14 secondary schools in the borough, putting it in the bottom half of local state secondaries. The school's Attainment 8 score of 44.6 is respectable, and 67% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though that drops to 36% at the stronger grade 5 threshold. Only 14% of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects, and just 5% achieved it at grade 5 or above — well below national trends. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2021 rated it Good across all areas, a significant improvement from its previous Inadequate rating in 2018. That turnaround in leadership and management, now also rated Good, suggests a school that has stabilised under headteacher Deborah Law.

Digging into the Progress 8 breakdown reveals a mixed picture. English is the strongest subject area, with a positive Progress 8 score of 0.09, meaning pupils make slightly more progress than the national average. Maths is weaker at -0.31, and the EBacc subjects as a whole sit at -0.4. The open element — which covers other qualifications not in the EBacc — is close to zero at -0.04, indicating broadly average progress in those areas. The school's EBacc average point score of 3.72 is modest. Nationally, St Patrick's ranks in the 62nd percentile for Progress 8, meaning it outperforms a majority of schools across England, even if it lags behind the local average. With 39.3% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a significantly disadvantaged intake, which provides important context for its outcomes.

The school is oversubscribed: for 116 places in 2025/26, it received 191 total applications, with 117 first-preference applications and 113 first-preference offers. That oversubscription ratio of 1.65 suggests strong local demand. Facilities are generous for a state secondary, including a swimming pool, theatre, chapel, astro turf, tennis courts, and music rooms. Clubs range from DofE and Young Enterprise to chess, gardening, and eco club. The school supports a wide range of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. There is no sixth form, so pupils will need to plan for post-16 options elsewhere. This is a Catholic school that has recovered from a poor inspection and now offers a stable, broadly average academic experience, particularly strong in English, with good facilities and clear local popularity.

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