Ursuline College
123%
Capacity
937
Pupils
3.0x
Demand
About Ursuline College
Ursuline College is a Roman Catholic secondary school in Thanet that is significantly oversubscribed, with 487 applications for 165 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.95. The school currently has 937 pupils against a capacity of 763, meaning it is running well above its official limit. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 34.9%, which is notably higher than the national average and reflects the school’s role in serving a diverse and economically mixed local community. Despite the high demand, only 109 first-preference offers were made from 117 first-preference applications, suggesting that while the school is popular, it is not the top choice for every family in the area. The school is mixed-gender and covers ages 11 to 18, with its own sixth form, and is led by headteacher Danielle Lancefield.
Academically, Ursuline College holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2022, with Good marks across all categories including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. At Key Stage 4, the school’s Progress 8 score is -0.19, which is below the local authority average of -0.13 and places it in the bottom 50 nationally, though still within the ‘Average’ banding. Attainment 8 sits at 39.4, and 52.7% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is 30.2%, with 15.4% achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above. At A-level, the school has a value-added score of -0.23, with an average points per entry of 21.44, equivalent to a D grade. The sixth form is small, with just 32 pupils in the data, and its progress banding is rated as Average.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a library, theatre, chapel, sixth form centre, art studios, and science labs. Sports provision is strong, with options such as hockey, rugby, netball, swimming, and martial arts, while clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model UN, and coding. SEND support covers several areas including dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and speech, language and communication needs. Ursuline College is a faith-based school that is clearly in high demand, but its Progress 8 score suggests it may be better suited to families who value its inclusive, Catholic ethos and broad extracurricular offer over raw academic outcomes. The school ranks 4th out of 9 secondary schools in Thanet by Progress 8, and 51st out of 106 in Kent.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | 225 Canterbury Road, Westgate-on-Sea, Thanet, CT8 8LX |
| Headteacher | Danielle Lancefield |
| Local Authority | Kent |
| Number of Pupils | 937 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 34.9% |
| School Capacity | 937 / 763 (123% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
8 Nov 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 12 Jan 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.19)
1980th of 3,141
Nationally
300th of 461
In South East
4th of 9
In Thanet
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less 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
'21/22
22.8
'22/23
25.9
'23/24
21.4
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
2022/2354%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 119 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)54%
- FE college27%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained6%
- Employment5%
93% 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
2022/2354%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 56 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
3%
Russell Group
4%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
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%
- Employment34%
- Not sustained7%
- Apprenticeship4%
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- English Literature11
- Biology10
- History10
- Geography7
- Chemistry4
- Mathematics4
- Physics4
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
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed165
487
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
117 families put this school as their 1st choice (24% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:15
Source: ursuline.kent.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British73.3%
- White (other)8.3%
- Mixed6.9%
- Asian3.8%
- Black0.1%
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
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% 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.
5
Total schools
3
Oversubscribed
3
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 Ursuline College
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
225 Canterbury Road, Westgate-on-Sea
Thanet, CT8 8LX
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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