St Michael's Catholic College

St Michael’s Catholic College is performing exceptionally well. In its first section 5 inspection, inspectors found all key judgements and sixth-form provision to be outstanding, with effective safeguarding arrangements. The school’s Salesian values are firmly embedded, pupils are mature, kind and safe, and they achieve highly across a broad, ambitious curriculum. The report highlights excellent teaching, strong subject knowledge and high expectations for all pupils, including those with SEND. Reading and literacy are prioritised, enrichment brings learning to life, and pupils are well prepared for their next steps through strong careers guidance and work experience. Personal development is a particular strength, with extensive extra-curricular opportunities and thoughtful PSHE provision. Staff are proud to work at the school and benefit from strong professional development. Parents are highly positive, and the school’s recent join with St Benedict Catholic Academy Trust provides additional support and challenge. Leaders, governors and trustees are reflective and ambitious, and the report identifies no areas for improvement.

Strengths

• Broad, highly ambitious curriculum across subjects and sixth form
• Strong subject knowledge and high-quality pupil work
• High expectations and effective support for pupils with SEND
• Sharp focus on reading, literacy and vocabulary
• Calm, purposeful behaviour and strong attendance
• Excellent personal development and wide enrichment opportunities
• Strong careers guidance and preparation for next steps
• Effective safeguarding arrangements
• Staff are proud and receive strong professional development
• Positive trust, governance and leadership support

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 Michael's Catholic College attended 95.0% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 12.0% 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, 6.3% of pupils at St Michael's Catholic College were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No 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 Michael's Catholic College had 11.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.3% 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, 10.3% of pupils at St Michael's Catholic College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 4.3% 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 2024–25 St Michael's Catholic College received £9,876 and spent £10,393 for each of its 962 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £10,000 (£10 per pupil).

Across all 10 schools of St Benedict Catholic Academy Trust, income was £7,250 and spending £6,743 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Southwark · Southwark local authority: places and applications

St Michael's Catholic College is part of St Benedict Catholic Academy Trust, which runs 10 schools. The nearest others:

• St Joseph's Catholic Primary School London
• St George's Cathedral Catholic Primary School London
• St Anthony's Catholic Primary School London
• St Matthew Academy London
• Our Lady and St Philip Neri Catholic Primary School London
• Bonus Pastor Catholic College Bromley
• St James the Great RC Primary and Nursery School Thornton Heath
• St Paul's Academy London
• St Thomas Becket Catholic Primary School London

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

The latest Ofsted rating for St Michael's Catholic College is Outstanding, from an inspection in June 2025.

When was St Michael's Catholic College last inspected by Ofsted?

St Michael's Catholic College was last inspected in June 2025.

How many pupils does St Michael's Catholic College have?

St Michael's Catholic College has 948 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Michael's Catholic College cover?

St Michael's Catholic College for pupils aged 11 to 18.

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

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 58.7, and 66% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is St Michael's Catholic College?

St Michael's Catholic College is at Llewellyn Street, London, SE16 4UN.