The Holy Cross School

About The Holy Cross School

The Holy Cross School is a Roman Catholic girls' secondary in the Kingston upon Thames local authority, one of 14 state secondaries in the borough. It sits among a competitive field of local peers: The Kingston Academy, Tiffin Girls' School, and Tolworth Girls' School and Sixth Form are the top three ranked schools in the area, according to local data. Holy Cross is a Good-rated school, while five of its 14 same-type neighbours hold an Outstanding Ofsted rating — the nearest being Richard Challoner School, 1.5 kilometres away. With 988 pupils on roll, it is a moderately sized school for the area, and its headteacher, Dervla McConn-Finch, leads a single-sex environment for girls aged 11 to 18. The school's religious character is Roman Catholic, which may be a draw for families seeking a faith-based secondary education within Kingston's diverse state school landscape.

Academically, the school's most recent Ofsted inspection awarded it a Good rating across all key areas, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership. The local authority's average Progress 8 score is 0.66, which is well above the national average and reflects strong performance across Kingston's state secondaries. While Holy Cross's own Progress 8 score is not provided in the data, its Good Ofsted judgement suggests it meets the high standards expected in this high-performing borough. The school offers a full secondary age range from 11 to 18, with a dedicated Sixth Form Centre, so pupils can continue their studies through to A-levels without needing to move schools. For families comparing options, the school's academic standing places it in the solid middle tier of Kingston's state secondaries, behind the top-ranked peers but within a local authority where the average school performs strongly.

The school's facilities are notably comprehensive for a state secondary, including a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, gymnasium, and music rooms, as well as a chapel reflecting its Catholic foundation. Sports offered include tennis, rugby, rowing, hockey, and martial arts, while clubs range from Film Club and Chess to Debate, Orchestra, and Model UN. For families with children who have special educational needs, the data does not specify SEND provisions, so it is worth contacting the school directly. The school is oversubscribed in a competitive borough, so parents should check admissions criteria, particularly the Catholic faith priority. Holy Cross suits families who want a single-sex girls' school with strong facilities and a faith ethos, within a local authority where most schools perform well above national averages. Its location in Kingston upon Thames offers good transport links for families across southwest London.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About The Holy Cross School

Helpful Guides for Parents