St Mark's West Essex Catholic School
Harlow, CM18 6AA · Essex · secondary school
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24th of 78 secondary schools in Essex we can score, 81 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 5.2/10 against 896 of them, against 5.6/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. 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 | 48.3 · 59 | 30% | 1.76 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.04 · 47 | 25% | 1.18 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 50.0 · 70 | 10% | 0.70 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
St Mark's West Essex Catholic School overview
How it's doing
The school is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected in 2023. In 2024/25, 38.8% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 46.3, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.04 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did slightly worse than peers nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 3.2 out of 10 among them, against 4.4 out of 10 nationally.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join the Christian Union and Justice & Peace Group, play cricket, and attend a bushcraft trip.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,099 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,120. 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 improve their Progress 8 scores? What specific support is available for students aiming to raise their Attainment 8? How does the curriculum prepare pupils for the next stage of education?
What Ofsted said about St Mark's West Essex Catholic School
Overview
St Mark’s West Essex Catholic School is rated ‘Good’ for overall effectiveness, with strong performance in education quality, behaviour, and personal development. The report highlights a well-designed curriculum and high expectations for most pupils, though sixth-form provision requires improvement due to unclear independent study guidance and inconsistent attendance monitoring.
Strengths
- Leaders have implemented a ‘well designed’ curriculum with a ‘well-constructed programme’ to support weaker readers, enabling successful access to learning.
- Teachers possess ‘strong subject knowledge’, spot misunderstandings quickly, and adapt resources expertly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
- Behaviour is ‘calm and purposeful’, with pupils being ‘consistently respectful and polite’ and bullying occurring rarely.
- There is a ‘culture of understanding of others’, supported by a well-considered personal, social, health and economic education curriculum.
- Governors hold leaders to account, seeking external advice to validate decisions, such as reviewing the mathematics curriculum.
Areas to improve
- Leaders must establish ‘well-thought-through curriculum provision’ for sixth-form students, as current independent study expectations are unclear and do not complement class teaching.
- Systems for monitoring sixth-form attendance and progress are ineffective; leaders need to implement clear processes to help absent students catch up and improve attendance.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with thorough systems, well-trained staff, and meticulous recruitment checks ensuring vulnerable pupils receive timely support.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 45.7 |
| 2024/25 | 46.3 |
| 2025/26 | 50.0 |
| 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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