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

Yes, I can't believe it is super competitive due to other good options all over North London. There is (super competitive) Henrietta Barnet, Camden School for Girls and a very good mixed Catholic comp in Finchley. They really only take practicing Catholic girls - as as long as you have the certificate of Catholic practice you would be one of a small pool of girls who would be applying. It's isn't really practical for anyone not living in the area as it's a good walk from public transport.

Two more for your list are St Marks (Hounslow, very strict, very, very popular) and Richard Reynolds in Twickenham (very good pastorally I've heard but not quite hit the grades the other schools have).

Scared Heart in Hammersmith

Ursuline in Wimbledon

You could look at All Saints Catholic College in W10 (mixed). Some parents I know recently went to the open day and said it was very, very impressive. Head was recently in news for trialing an extending school day to help kids study. The catchment puts some people off as it's near large council estate and previously non-Catholics from this estate got places and the reputation wasn't good (we are talking 10 years ago when it was just a girls school) demographics have changed so much so who knows who goes now. I do think it has turned around somewhat as parents in my DCs school were putting it as their first choice. You'd have to go see it and decide - would be handy for work and after school options. Doesn't get the grades of Sacred Heart but doesn't have the reputation for being as strict.

I hear mixed stuff about Gumley (my daughter is still primary age, only boys at secondary).

I second the St Marks recommendation, I think that it is a fabulous school and their progress 8 score is huge meaning that the attainment of children from ks2 compared to ks4 is well above average- https://www.insidermedia.com/news/national/englands-top-20-state-secondary-schools-for-2024-released-based-on-governments-new-gcse-data

I know people who would not even go to the open day because of its previous reputation. I know people who did and said it was impressive, but chose elsewhere as they wanted somewhere more academic (better grades) . I know people who put it as their first choice, so it must offer something to their child that London Oratory/Cardinal Vaughan or Sacred Heart/Gumley didn't.
A large amount of children being on on free school meals doesn't make it a bad school, but it does makes it a rich school that has extra money to spend that the more solid middle class intake schools don't get!

What about the one in Ealing - Cardinal Wiseman? Other than it being next to the tip (very off putting) it gets good grades. Anyone know what it's like?

You do realise that even Catholic state secondary schools have catchment areas - some of which can be quite small and even if you are at mass every day and run everything at the church then you are not certain of getting a place
At one time (when Tony Blair's boy started) the Oratory ran like that, other schools did a points based application (parish council, helping with sunday school, polishing the candlesticks)
Now it's get your certificate of weekly or monthly (in some areas) attendance dig out your EHCP or free school meals letter and hope you live close enough to the school gate

Marymount in Kingston. It's an IB school though, not sure if you'd be interested in that.

@Annoyeddd the majority of catholic secondaries have much wider "catchments" then non faith options.

Agree, the catholic schools I know have a pan - london catchment, very wide. When I visited the Oratory last year I was shown around by a kid travelling from High Wycombe...

Just always check the admission policy

Not always - I know of one which is 2km and another one is 3km in one direction although more in the other direction (based on parish rather than catchment)
Plus with sibling priority can be very variable
Just need to check

All of the schools we’ve looked at or considered a plane to have different admission policies. For example, Saint Richard Reynolds used to do a lottery for those living in the borough. Other schools take certain percentages from different deaneries- with certain ones having a much larger percentage (usually those closest). You can usually find this information on School websites within the admissions policies.

Not always

which is why I said majority

Recent parent here, I’d avoid. The previous head ruined it imo and the current head is even worse. Any good results they get are via those girls whose parents can afford private tutors. When my youngest was there one of the science teachers spent every Saturday in the local library tutoring GCSE science to various girls. Such a shame as it was a lovely and high performing school when my oldest went there (under Dr carpenter).

Christ on a bike, FSM is a poverty indicator not an academic critique. I chair an inner City Primary where our FSM hovers around 40%, we are an outstanding school and most definitely not a shithole. Just because our parents are poor, it does not mean that they, or their children lack aspiration or ability.

Primary catchment can be quite small but secondary catchment can be quite big. 3 Years ago a CCP wouldn't guarantee you entry but for a lot of these schools it now does.
I mentioned the Cardinal Wiseman and All Saints as they have accepted non Catholics or at least Baptised Catholics without a CCP, so having a CCP pretty much guarantees you entry from anywhere.
London Oratory, Cardinal Vaughan, Sacred Heart etc have huge catchment areas and are oversubscribed but at my primary everyone in current year 6 got their first choice this year, including these 3 schools (unheard of in previous years). I'd have thought the VAT on privates would have made it harder but it seems not. I was surprise only half the year choose these 3 schools though.

It still is a high performing school. It doesn't do as well at A level (because all the clever girls bugger off to the London Oratory or Cardinal Vaughan) but it certainly does well at GCSE, with over 49% at grade 7-9.

The Times Parent Power (2025) rates it at 159 place in England for GCSEs (Vaughan at 117). It is higher than St Marks, Ursuline, Twyford CofE, Richard Reynolds and even highly sought after non-London schools like Balcarras in Cheltenham. Which are all still excellent school and get great results.

I'd have thought the VAT on privates would have made it harder but it seems not.

Rolls have fallen in many areas of London.

The London Oratory School

sorry sixth form only

but yes Catholic schools usually have huge catchment areas

i went through this thread to see if my old school was mentioned. It wasn’t! It was Convent of Jesus and Mary, now St Claudines, in Harlesden. I wouldn’t recommend it but hey it’s been 40 years since I left!

Do she need to go to a Catholic school? Would another Christian faith school work? (I’m Catholic but went to a C of E school). I wouldn’t send her halfway across town just for that.

Does anyone have any thoughts on Sacred Heart in Southwark?