Page 3 | Best Catholic secondary schools in London

byabobby · 03/07/2025 21:07

Lazytiger · 03/07/2025 12:11

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.

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Yes as I said many use private tutors for GCSE and you’re right most of the clever ones go elsewhere for 6th form. Speaks volumes.

Ddakji · 03/07/2025 21:19

RightSaidFrederica · 03/07/2025 20:52

Does anyone have any thoughts on Sacred Heart in Southwark?

Judging by the kids who get in the bus there (I used to finish early to pick up DD and my bus went past it) I wouldn’t send my DD there. Boisterous would be the polite word. And I don’t think it’s particularly diverse.

Lampzade · 03/07/2025 21:21

Nkmama15 · 28/06/2025 11:35

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

Notre Dame Southwark

Lazytiger · 03/07/2025 22:44

byabobby · 03/07/2025 21:07

Yes as I said many use private tutors for GCSE and you’re right most of the clever ones go elsewhere for 6th form. Speaks volumes.

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No it doesn’t speak volumes - they get very good GCSE results, the clever girls are there at this time and there is no way those results can be down to tutoring as half the school would be at it and they simply aren’t.

byabobby · 03/07/2025 23:05

Lazytiger · 03/07/2025 22:44

No it doesn’t speak volumes - they get very good GCSE results, the clever girls are there at this time and there is no way those results can be down to tutoring as half the school would be at it and they simply aren’t.

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Why do you think the clever ones leave then if they’ve done so well at gcse without tutoring? If their success was because of the great teaching surely they’d stay? My experience of two top set daughters was that most of their friends were tutored, many for every subject at gcse. They give the better teachers to the lower sets and the top ones are left, often with a cover supervisor for science, to get on with worksheets. Homework is rarely marked.

Romanbathers · 03/07/2025 23:25

Cardinal Hume Academies Trust has 3 mixed secondary schools - 2 OFSTED outstanding, one good. High value-added scores (top 6% in the country) in spite of high proportion of students on pupil premium and high proportion of children doing EBacc.

Lazytiger · 03/07/2025 23:42

byabobby · 03/07/2025 23:05

Why do you think the clever ones leave then if they’ve done so well at gcse without tutoring? If their success was because of the great teaching surely they’d stay? My experience of two top set daughters was that most of their friends were tutored, many for every subject at gcse. They give the better teachers to the lower sets and the top ones are left, often with a cover supervisor for science, to get on with worksheets. Homework is rarely marked.

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They leave because they want a change, they go because going to the London Oratory is very prestigious, they go because they have a passion for music or classics and they go because it has a lot of extra curricular opportunities there. More stay than go though and SHHS offers BTECs and other subjects that are less academic. That isn't a bad thing - being accessible to more than just the very brightest.

What you describe sounds familiar for all schools. Many lessons are covers with worksheets.

Sorry but I simply don't accept that most girls studying 9 GCSEs were being tutored in 'every subject'. Tutors are not cheap and that would be 9 hours a week at an average of £60 a session.

Revision offered by a teacher on a Saturday is not the same as private tutoring. That is a good thing, isn't it?

Your experience is of course your experience but the girls I know from SHHS do not support this view and did not have the financial means to have a private tutor while studying there.

Original poster

Nkmama15 · 05/07/2025 21:24

Annoyeddd · 02/07/2025 09:18

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

It’s depends - some have feeder schools . We have 3 options due to
feeder school and there is no catchment attached to that…

OP posts:

OhHellolittleone · 19/08/2025 16:12

Annoyeddd · 02/07/2025 09:18

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

Pretty sure the can’t be true of the London Oratory or Cardinal Vaughan … I know children who travel a long way to get their because their catchment is huge.

OhHellolittleone · 19/08/2025 16:13

Also SRRCC has a catchment based on parishes it serves, not distance from The school. It’s not as simple as it may sound.

FromTheFirstOldFashionedWeWereCursed · 19/08/2025 16:31

SRRCC has a really complex catchment. Worth studying carefully if that's what you are aiming for!

Ichangedmynameonce · 19/08/2025 16:33

@Lazytiger what's the name of the mixed catholic comprehensive in Finchley please? I'm not aware of it. Unless you mean Finchley catholic high, which is a fantastic boys only comp, until 6th form when they admit girls

sillibillies · 19/08/2025 16:41

the two catholic schools I know have feeder schools from the local parishes. They are oversubscribed just from their local area with students who meet the Catholic requirements, so you would struggle to get a place if not in their area.

Romanbathers · 19/08/2025 19:38

Ichangedmynameonce · 19/08/2025 16:33

@Lazytiger what's the name of the mixed catholic comprehensive in Finchley please? I'm not aware of it. Unless you mean Finchley catholic high, which is a fantastic boys only comp, until 6th form when they admit girls

Mixed Catholic Comprehensive in Finchley might be Bishop Douglass? I have two children there. I’d recommend it - many excellent and very committed teachers. It is more traditional and strict than some other schools locally, and I think this works well for them.

Revise15 · 19/08/2025 20:00

Bishop Douglass has a wide catchment area and admits other faiths and children based on geographical distance each year.

happylandflowers · 19/08/2025 20:48

I went to SHHS and the girls who left in the sixth form for the Vaughan or the Oratory did so for two reasons - 1) they saw it as a great achievement to be accepted into one of these schools and 2) they wanted to be with the boys (many from their primary schools).

I did so myself so no judgement from me.