St Peter's Catholic School

What the data shows

St Peter's is a mixed, non-selective Roman Catholic academy for ages 11–18 in Merrow, Guildford, with a sixth form. It has 1347 pupils against a capacity of 1050. Around 6.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, 9.2% speak English as an additional language, 18.04% receive SEN support and 3.12% have an EHCP.

Results are consistently high. In 2024-25, 76.9% of pupils achieved grade 5+ in English and maths (England 45.3%) and 92.5% achieved grade 4+ (England 65%). Attainment 8 was 63.6, against 46.3 nationally. The grade 5+ figure has been steady at 77% in 2022-23 and 75.1% in 2023-24. Progress 8 was 1.45 in 2022-23 and 1.13 in 2023-24; the 2024-25 figure is not published.

In the sixth form, the A-level average grade has been B+ for three years running, and 36.1% of students achieved AAB+ in facilitating subjects, compared with 15.8% across England.

What Ofsted found

Ofsted inspected the school on 15 and 16 May 2024 and judged it Outstanding overall and in every area, including sixth-form provision. This was its first inspection as an academy; the predecessor school had also been judged outstanding.

The report describes "exceptional education, care and guidance" from Year 7 through to the sixth form. Inspectors found that teachers are expert in their subjects and plan learning so that it is revisited and secured over time. They said pupils' behaviour makes "a significant contribution to their learning" and that attendance is very high.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities was judged highly effective, and the report notes the school is focusing closely on this area after a significant rise in need following the pandemic. Personal development, careers guidance and the separate sixth-form centre are all praised. The report does not set out a separate list of areas to improve. Safeguarding was judged effective.

How it compares nearby

The nearest similar schools in the data are George Abbot School (0.7 mi, Ofsted Good, 68.9% grade 5+ in English and maths), Christ's College, Guildford (2.0 mi, Ofsted Good, 36.4%) and Guildford County School (2.3 mi, no Ofsted grade in the data, 64.6%). St Peter's has the highest grade 5+ figure of the four, and the only Outstanding judgement, though George Abbot and Guildford County also post results well above the England average.

Who it may suit

St Peter's may suit families who want a Catholic ethos, a calm and purposeful setting and strong academic results, and who value a large sixth form on the same site. The school's website describes five core values, including love, service and justice, that underpin school life.

Because the school is well over capacity, securing a place is the main practical question. Read the admissions policy carefully, ask how places were allocated recently, and compare with George Abbot and Guildford County if a place looks uncertain.

May suit: Families looking for a high-achieving, orderly Catholic secondary with a large sixth form, who are comfortable with a faith ethos and can meet the admissions criteria.

Drafted with the help of AI tools from our research notes and the sources above, then checked and edited by EduNavigate Research Team before publishing.