School profile

St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham

Secondary · Academy converter · Durham, DH1 4NG

Outstanding

Map showing St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#398 of 3,312

Better than 87% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#516 of 2,536

Better than 79% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 8 Oct 2024

Area360 rating
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Sixth form provision
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,293
GenderMixed
Religious characterRoman Catholic
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr David Simmons
TrustBISHOP WILKINSON CATHOLIC EDUCATION TRUST
Local authorityCounty Durham
Opened01 Nov 2016
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 143583.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolCounty DurhamEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.56.5, better than England, better than County Durham44.946.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.80.9%, better than England, better than County Durham62.5%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.59.8%, better than England, better than County Durham43%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.18.2%, better than England, better than County Durham11.7%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths80.4%, better than England, better than County Durham58.5%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4209--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolCounty DurhamEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.38.91, better than England, better than County Durham35.735
Average A-level gradeB--
Average points, best three A-levels38.31, better than England, similar to County Durham36.9735.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsB---
AAB or better24.7%, better than England, better than County Durham19.4%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.22, worse than England--
A-level progressBelow average, worse than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study110--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Dist+--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,293
Girls640
Boys653
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.13.8%
First language not English9.3%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,431
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.9.6%
Sixth form places2024/25271
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.130
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.18
Average class size22.7

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
78.3%
Other White
5.3%
Indian
2.6%
African
2.6%
Other ethnic group
2.2%
White and Asian
1.9%
Other mixed
1.2%
White and Black African
1.1%
Other Asian
1%
Chinese
0.9%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher16.8
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.14.4
Teachers (FTE)76.97
Teaching assistants (FTE)4
Support staff (FTE)30.86
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2576.2
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2568.2
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/252
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/256

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.222
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.538
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.215
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.205
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)14

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolCounty DurhamEngland
Overall absence6.4%, better than England, better than County Durham8.2%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.13.1%, better than England, better than County Durham23.1%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.3%, better than England, better than County Durham3.6%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate8.3%
Pupils with one or more suspensions4.2%
Permanent exclusion rate0.1%
Permanent exclusions1

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.96.7%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.94.4%
School sixth form66.4%
Further education28%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.2.3%
Apprenticeship1.9%
Employment0.5%
Sixth form college0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.87.4%
Higher education59.7%
Employment12.6%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.10.1%
Apprenticeship8.4%
Further education5%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.5 miSecondaryDurham Johnston Comprehensive SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.6 mi16 plusDurham Sixth Form CentreAcademy 16-19 converter
Unrated
0.8 miPrimarySt Margaret's Church of England Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
0.8 miNot applicableDurham Cathedral Schools FoundationOther independent school
Unrated
0.9 miPrimaryNeville's Cross Primary School and NurseryCommunity school
Good
0.9 miPrimaryFramwellgate Moor Primary SchoolCommunity school
Outstanding
0.9 miSecondaryFramwellgate School DurhamAcademy converter
Requires improvement
1.0 miPrimaryDurham Newton Hall Infants' SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.0 miPrimarySt Oswald's Church of England Aided Primary and Nursery SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
1.1 miPrimaryBlue Coat CofE (Aided) Junior SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good

Frequently asked questions about St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham

What is St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham's Ofsted rating?

St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham is rated Outstanding, last inspected on 8 Oct 2024. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham rank in England?

St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham ranks 398 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 87% of schools) and 516 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (better than 79% of schools).

What are St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 59.8% of pupils at St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 56.5 (England 46.2).

What are St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham was B, and 24.7% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham made 222 offers from 538 applications (2.4 per offer), and 205 of 215 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham?

St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham has 1,293 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham?

St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham had 1,431 school places in 2024/25.

Does St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham have a sixth form?

Yes, St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham has a sixth form with 271 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham?

At St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham, the average class had 22.7 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 16.8 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham?

In 2025/26, pupils at St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham missed 6.4% of sessions (England 8%), and 13.1% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.