St Damian's RC Science College

St Damian's RC Science College continues to perform at an outstanding level, consistently fostering a vibrant and academically stimulating environment for its students. With exceptionally high expectations for both behavior and achievement, pupils excel in their education, taking pride in their work and actively participating in a rich array of extracurricular activities that promote personal development. Leaders are dedicated to ensuring that all students, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), thrive in their educational journey, resulting in strong academic outcomes and well-rounded personal growth.

Strengths

• Exceptional behavior and engagement of pupils.
• High-quality curriculum that supports excellent academic achievement.
• Strong personal development programs beyond academics.
• Effective support systems for pupils with SEND.
• Positive relationships fostered among pupils and staff.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at St Damian's RC Science College attended 94.8% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 11.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 10.6% of pupils at St Damian's RC Science College were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 3 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 St Damian's RC Science College had 17.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.8% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 9.3% of pupils at St Damian's RC Science College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 4.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 St Damian's RC Science College received £8,139 and spent £8,363 for each of its 832 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £372,000 (£447 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Ashton-Under-Lyne · Tameside local authority: places and applications

What is St Damian's RC Science College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Damian's RC Science College is Outstanding, from an inspection in July 2023.

When was St Damian's RC Science College last inspected by Ofsted?

St Damian's RC Science College was last inspected in July 2023.

How many pupils does St Damian's RC Science College have?

St Damian's RC Science College has 829 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Damian's RC Science College cover?

St Damian's RC Science College for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are St Damian's RC Science College's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 56.0, and 68% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is St Damian's RC Science College?

St Damian's RC Science College is at Lees Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, OL6 8BH.