School profile

St Paul's Catholic College

Secondary · Academy converter · Burgess Hill, RH15 8GA

Outstanding

Map showing St Paul's Catholic College

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#340 of 3,312

Better than 89% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#783 of 2,536

Better than 69% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

St Paul's Catholic College Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 28 Feb 2023

Ofsted 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
Pupils1,160
GenderMixed
Religious characterRoman Catholic
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Rob Carter
TrustBOSCO CATHOLIC EDUCATION TRUST
Local authorityWest Sussex
Opened01 Jan 2022
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 148753.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolWest SussexEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.57.8, better than England, better than West Sussex46.746.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.86.3%, better than England, better than West Sussex67.4%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.68.1%, better than England, better than West Sussex47.2%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.17%, better than England, better than West Sussex12.9%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths84.6%, better than England, better than West Sussex62.7%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4182--

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 schoolWest SussexEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.36.91, similar to England, better than West Sussex33.9935
Average A-level gradeB---
Average points, best three A-levels38.57, better than England, better than West Sussex35.0835.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsB--
AAB or better17.1%, similar to England, similar to West Sussex16.2%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.04, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study128--
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 pupils1,160
Girls559
Boys601
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.7.3%
First language not English12.9%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,227
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.5.5%
Sixth form places2024/25350
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.189
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.28
Average class size19.8

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
59.2%
Indian
9.2%
Other White
7.8%
White and Asian
5%
Other Asian
4.1%
Other mixed
2.8%
African
2.8%
White and Black African
2.5%
Irish
1.6%
Other ethnic group
1.2%

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
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.12.1
Teachers (FTE)72.46
Teaching assistants (FTE)9.72
Support staff (FTE)36.48
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2569.3
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2559
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/253.8
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/256.6

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.173
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.657
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.268
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.170
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)46

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 schoolWest SussexEngland
Overall absence5.9%, better than England, better than West Sussex8.1%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.12.3%, better than England, better than West Sussex21.4%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.1.4%, better than England, better than West Sussex3.7%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 rate4.5%
Pupils with one or more suspensions2.6%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

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.94.9%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.92.1%
School sixth form48.3%
Sixth form college21.9%
Further education19.7%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.3.4%
Apprenticeship1.7%
Employment1.1%

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.86.1%
Higher education52.2%
Employment21.7%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.8.7%
Further education6.1%
Apprenticeship1.7%

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 Paul's Catholic College
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.6 miPrimarySouthway Junior SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.6 miPrimaryThe Gattons Infant SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.0 miPrimarySheddingdean Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Requires improvement
1.1 miPrimarySt Wilfrid's Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.4 miSecondaryThe Burgess Hill AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.5 miPrimaryLondon Meed Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.6 miPrimaryOak Tree Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Requires improvement
1.7 miNot applicableBurgess Hill GirlsOther independent school
Unrated
1.7 miNot applicableHurstpierpoint CollegeOther independent school
Unrated

Frequently asked questions about St Paul's Catholic College

What is St Paul's Catholic College's Ofsted rating?

St Paul's Catholic College is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, last inspected on 28 Feb 2023.

How does St Paul's Catholic College rank in England?

St Paul's Catholic College ranks 340 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 89% of schools) and 783 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (better than 69% of schools).

What are St Paul's Catholic College's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 68.1% of pupils at St Paul's Catholic College got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 57.8 (England 46.2).

What are St Paul's Catholic College's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at St Paul's Catholic College was B-, and 17.1% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into St Paul's Catholic College?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, St Paul's Catholic College made 173 offers from 657 applications (3.8 per offer), and 170 of 268 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend St Paul's Catholic College?

St Paul's Catholic College has 1,160 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of St Paul's Catholic College?

St Paul's Catholic College had 1,227 school places in 2024/25.

Does St Paul's Catholic College have a sixth form?

Yes, St Paul's Catholic College has a sixth form with 350 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at St Paul's Catholic College?

At St Paul's Catholic College, the average class had 19.8 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 16 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at St Paul's Catholic College?

In 2025/26, pupils at St Paul's Catholic College missed 5.9% of sessions (England 8%), and 12.3% 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.