Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School

Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School continues to demonstrate good performance, with strong relationships between pupils and staff, contributing to an inclusive and vibrant community. Pupils are well-supported academically and socially, benefiting from an ambitious curriculum that effectively meets their needs, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Parents appreciate the caring environment, and pupils thrive both in academic achievements and personal development, participating in a range of extracurricular activities. This inspection marks the first since the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing for a comprehensive evaluation of the school's ongoing commitment to educational excellence.

Strengths

• Strong relationships and an inclusive community.
• Ambitious curriculum that builds progressively.
• Excellent academic and pastoral support for SEND pupils.
• High-quality personal development opportunities.
• Effective safeguarding arrangements.
• Strong governance and high staff retention.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum adaptation for pupils with SEND is still being refined.

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 Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School attended 92.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 20.9% 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, 6.7% of pupils at Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was 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 Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School had 16.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.6% 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, 11.3% of pupils at Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 5.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

The school has resourced provision with 27 pupils.

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 Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School received £8,251 and spent £7,965 for each of its 1,085 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,415,000 (£1,304 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

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What is Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.

When was Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School last inspected by Ofsted?

Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School was last inspected in November 2023.

How many pupils does Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School have?

Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School has 1,082 pupils on roll.

What age range does Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School cover?

Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 46.3, and 45% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School?

Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School is at Fawley Road, Southcote, Reading, Berkshire, RG30 3EP.