St John Fisher Catholic Voluntary Academy
Dewsbury, WF13 4LL · Kirklees · secondary school
Check the area around this school
25th of 25 secondary schools in Kirklees we can score, 27 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 1.4/10 against 424 of them, against 0.8/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 28.3 · 13 | 46% | 0.58 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.99 · 3 | 38% | 0.11 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 34.9 · 5 | 15% | 0.08 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
St John Fisher Catholic Voluntary Academy overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 25.3% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 34.8, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.99 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (1.2 out of 10 against similar schools, 0.6 out of 10 against all schools).
Getting in
The published school roll is 992 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,069. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to close the gap between their current attainment and the national median? What specific support is available for students who are falling behind in Progress 8?
What Ofsted said about St John Fisher Catholic Voluntary Academy
Overview
The report describes a “welcoming, and rapidly improving” school where pupils feel safe and happy. While behaviour and personal development are rated as good, the quality of education and leadership require improvement, primarily due to inconsistent curriculum planning and poor historical examination outcomes.
Strengths
- Pupils demonstrate “polite and respectful” behaviour and move around the school calmly.
- Sixth-form students receive a “more consistent quality of education” and show “intricate knowledge”.
- The school offers a “wide range of extra-curricular clubs” and effective careers guidance.
- Staff are “positive about working at the school” and committed to improving pupils’ life chances.
- Safeguarding arrangements are “effective”.
Areas to improve
- Ensure improvements in education quality are reflected in “pupils’ outcomes at key stage 4”, addressing historically poor examination results.
- Continue building a culture of high expectations around attendance, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) who “miss too many lessons”.
- The trust should support leaders at all levels to ensure consistency in the impact of new improvement initiatives.
Safeguarding
The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 31.4 |
| 2024/25 | 34.8 |
| 2025/26 | 34.9 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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