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St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy

North End, Durham DH1 4NG · stleonardsdurham.bwcet.com · 0191 384 8575

On the mapSearch near DH1 4NG

Overview

Ofsted
No overall grade
2019 framework · inspected Oct 2024
GCSEs, 2024/25
57.7
average Attainment 8 score. County Durham 44.1, England 46
Demand for places
1.0
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
1,293
28 over 1,265 places · 102%
Local authority
County Durham
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
14.9%
First language not English
9.3%
School census 2025/26
Trust
Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 215 families put the school first and 222 places were offered; 95% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 228 (Places 224)228September 2023: 211 (Places 230)211September 2024: 136 (Places 160)136September 2025: 176 (Places 192)176September 2026: 215 (Places 222)215Places 222
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 2026222215195%
September 2025Sept 20251921760.9100%
September 2024Sept 20241601360.9100%
September 2023Sept 20232302110.994%
September 2022Sept 20222242281▲93%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 57.7, and 59.1% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across County Durham it was 44.1, and across England 46.

In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade B (38.9 points per entry).

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 51.7 (England 46.3)51.72017/18: 51.7 (England 46.5)51.72018/19: 50.9 (England 46.7)50.92021/22: 58.5 (England 48.8)58.52022/23: 59.4 (England 46.3)59.42023/24: 57.2 (England 45.9)57.22024/25: 57.7 (England 46.0)57.7England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▲57.746.0
▲59.1%45.4%
▲80.0%64.8%
▼36.4%40.5%
▲5.014.09

Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 114326)

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form66.4−6.8
Further education28+9
Apprenticeship1.9−2
Employment0.5−0.8
Not in a lasting destination2.3+0.6
Activity not captured0.90

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252015/16: 35.4 (England 30.5)B-2016/17: 36.1 (England 31.1)B-2017/18: 34.5 (England 32.1)C+2018/19: 36.3 (England 32.9)B-2021/22: 41.7 (England 37.9)B2022/23: 36.4 (England 34.2)B-2023/24: 35.2 (England 34.4)B-2024/25: 38.9 (England 35.0)BEngland 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
95 studentsB (38.9)Below average -0.22
96 studentsB (38.9)Below average -0.23
18 studentsDist+ (37.2)Average -0.01
24.7%AAB or better
94.9%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/2495B- (35.2)-0.07
2022/2391B- (36.4)—
2021/2290B (41.7)—
2018/1993B- (36.3)-0.02
2017/1894C+ (34.5)-0.07
2016/17113B- (36.1)-0.07
2015/16107B- (35.4)+0.02

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University59.7−11.7
Further and other education6.7+5.7
Further education5—
Other education1.7—
Apprenticeship8.4+3.6
Employment12.6−0.7
Not in a lasting destination10.1+5.3
Activity not captured2.5−2.3

Ofsted

Ofsted inspected St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham on 8 October 2024 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.

Overall
No overall grade
Inspected
8 Oct 2024
Graded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Graded areas

Quality of educationOutstanding
Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
Personal developmentOutstanding
Leadership and managementOutstanding
Sixth formOutstanding

Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Jan 2022

Earlier inspections

September 2019 to November 2025

  • Jan 2023Monitoring visitEffective action
  • Jan 2022Requires improvement
    Quality of educationGood
    Behaviour and attitudesGood
    Personal developmentGood
    Leadership and managementRequires improvement
    Sixth formGood
    SafeguardingEffective
  • Oct 2019Ungraded inspectionRemains Good
    SafeguardingEffective

Before September 2019

  • May 2012Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
  • Feb 2007Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    16 to 19 study programmesGood

What parents said

83% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (206 replies, to 1 September 2025).

Recommend
83%
Replies
206
16% · 1 Sept 2025
Child is happy at school▼85% agreeEngland 89%
Child feels safe●91% agreeEngland 90%
Pupils are well behaved▲89% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations▲87% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well●85% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn▼79% agreeEngland 84%
Told how child is doing▼79% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects●90% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities▲94% agreeEngland 91%
Supports personal development●80% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly▼72% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 72% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly●50% agreeEngland 50%

based on the 28% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▼46% agreeEngland 67%

based on 47 parents (23%) with SEND

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