Best Catholic secondary schools in London

[Nkmama15]

Hello,

I haven’t been researching Catholic schools in London but would like to hear opinions and suggestions regarding Catholic secondary schools in London - ideally girls only but open to mixed also!

thanks

Sacred heart west London

BTG - Streatham mixed
Holy Cross - New Malden girls
Ursuline - Wimbledon girls

There is St Andrews (mixed) which is in Leatherhead which is one of the best comps in the country. You could live in say Worcester Park and get a place if you were in a feeder.

What part of London are you based?

I’m based WC so can travel but ideally within London. I know the big Catholic but never looked east or south and want to ensure I’ve not discounted any!

Hello, by chance did you know anyone that went there? There is very little online regarding this school. I’ve visited , it’s nice , but I can’t find any information online on how it really is…

St Michaels Catholic Grammar in Finchley? Maria Fidelis near Euston station? As an atheist living outside London, i have no personal experience of either of these schools, but I used to work a few minutes away from the latter and the former used to get a lot of mentions on the elevenplusexams forum. Presumably, any RC school you're looking at would rank your DD quite high up their list on grounds of baptism, religious observance, etc, but logistics would come into your preferences somewhere?

The Oratory

Well, I suppose the OP's DD could always identify as...😮

@MarchingFrogs woops missed that!

I did and loved it. Many many years ago though.

Sacred Heart of Mary in East London (Upminster) has an excellent reputation. It is an all girls school.

https://www.sacredheartofmary.net/

My 9 year old (at Catholic primary) has told me she really wants to go to St Augustine's Priory (private Catholic girls school 2-18) in Ealing as it has a farm!

yes I do not want her to be commuting far BUT I don’t want to discount anything . What about Gumley House?

st Michael’s is very very very hard to get into….

Cardinal Vaughan and Gunnersbury Boys both take girls in 6th form - consideration for the future. Both great schools.
Friend’s daughters went to St Augustine’s - both did well.
My cousin went to St Michael’s and don’t know much about how she got on there but she has a very good job now!

State or private?

Best are in Surrey - Leatherhead, Guildford, Woking and Salesian in Egham. Think there are four in the trust. Think you can get into these by the usual route (feeder primary then distance from home). Ursuline gets very, very good reviews. Gumley in Isleworth is worth considering. Sacred Heart is very good but has a massive feeder school catchment and offers places on a ballot system. So you can't be strategic and live nearby, it's just down to good luck.

Mixed. Someone I trust tells me the girls are lovely, and they all say they had lovely time there. Then you get parents complaining about bullying (although this is hearsay as the ones I've heard it from don't have children there yet). Biggest complaint I hear is lack of after school options (schools ends at 3.10 so that's a lot of time to fill).

The Oratory is a private boarding school near Reading. The London Oratory is a state boys school from 8-16, with mixed sixth form.

Either tbh. Ideally state but I’ve also looked private. I’m trying to find a school which has an excellent pastoral support over academic.

Yes I’ve heard this. There are clubs apparently but I heard maybe difficult to get on to. I work in White City , so near the school but I need some sort of club afterschool ….

Yes we are in one of the feeder schools but it’s massive and nothing certain ! Gumley we also have the feeder schools option .
I was recommended Ursuline by our school also but I fear the commute is far and not any better than SH.

La Retraite

Sacred Heart Hammersmith.

St Michaels is a lot easier to get into these days. I believe this year there were 274 sitting the exam and they admit around 120 girls each year.