St John's Catholic School & Sixth Form College
Bishop Auckland, DL14 6JT · County Durham · secondary school
Check the area around this school
15th of 30 secondary schools in County Durham we can score. 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 — 6.6/10 against 812 of them, against 5.3/10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 45.4 · 51 | 30% | 1.53 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.16 · 61 | 25% | 1.53 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 43.8 · 38 | 10% | 0.38 |
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's Catholic School & Sixth Form College overview
How it's doing
The school is rated Good by Ofsted following an inspection in 2024. In 2024/25, 41.3% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 46.4, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.16 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did better than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (6.5 out of 10 against similar schools, 5.2 out of 10 against all schools).
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, participate in Sports Day, and sing in the choir. Trips include visits to London, Paris, Barcelona, Rome, Washington D.C., and Peru, alongside a Year 11 ski trip and the Turing Scheme.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,229 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,400. 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 maintain the progress seen in the 2023/24 data? What specific support is available for students aiming for the higher grades in English and maths? How are the international trips funded and organised for different year groups?
What Ofsted said about St John's Catholic School & Sixth Form College
Overview
St John’s Catholic School & Sixth Form College continues to be a good school, underpinned by a distinct Catholic ethos and high aspirations for pupils. The report highlights a calm, orderly environment where staff go ‘above and beyond’ to support students, who benefit from a broad curriculum and excellent personal development opportunities.
Strengths
- Teachers deliver the curriculum using strong subject knowledge, explaining concepts well and showing pupils what high-quality work looks like.
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well through clear ‘pupil passports’ and targeted interventions.
- The school promotes reading for pleasure effectively, including dedicated lessons and attendance at local literary events.
- Sixth-form students are supported very well to meet increased academic demands and make informed decisions about their futures.
- Staff workload and well-being are supported well, with initiatives like ‘I heard a whisper’ recognising contributions.
Areas to improve
- The school should further develop strategies to improve attendance for pupils who are persistently absent, as this creates significant knowledge gaps.
- The school should embed its ‘ASPIRE’ teaching model fully to ensure consistent checking of pupil understanding and adaptation of teaching.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 50.6 |
| 2024/25 | 46.4 |
| 2025/26 | 43.8 |
| 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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