Painsley Catholic College, Stoke-on-Trent

In 2026, pupils at Painsley Catholic College averaged an Attainment 8 score of 56.3, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 43.7 in Staffordshire and 47 across England.

60% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 39% in Staffordshire and 47% in England.

That is down from 58.8 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.51: pupils made well above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 51.7, against 57 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 5.3 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and History.

For September 2026 entry, 248 families put Painsley Catholic College as their first choice and 375 named it as one of their preferences, for 246 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 3 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Painsley Catholic College are The Cheadle Academy (under 0.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.2); Blythe Bridge High School (3.1 miles, Attainment 8 42.9); and Moorside High School (4.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.5).

Painsley Catholic College's 2026 results were higher than all 3 of them.

Painsley Catholic College is one of 64 schools run by St Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Multi-Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 208 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 89% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 26% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 108 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 52% went on to university or other higher education, 15% to apprenticeships and 22% into work. 16% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

12.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 7.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 131 pupils (9.8%) received SEN support and 17 (1.3%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

Painsley Catholic College has a resourced provision: 110 places.

Painsley Catholic College had 100 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest tram or metro stop is Kingsley & Froghall (Churnet Valley Railway), about 3 miles away in a straight line.

5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cheadle Academy (adjacent), 110 metres away.

In 2024/25, Painsley Catholic College issued 58 suspensions, 4.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Painsley Catholic College are Cheadle Primary School (0.2 miles), Bishop Rawle CofE Primary School (0.3 miles), St Giles' Catholic Primary School (0.3 miles) and St Thomas' Catholic Primary School (1.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.