St Columba's Catholic Boys' School, Bexleyheath
St Columba's Catholic Boys' School is a secondary school for boys aged 11 to 16 in Bexleyheath, part of St Oscar Romero Catholic Academy Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 7th-highest of the 16 schools in Bexley with published results, and 1,148th of 3,298 across England. It was 91% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
- Progress (2024)
- Average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Bexley (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Columba's Catholic Boys' School in detail
Results
In 2026, pupils at St Columba's Catholic Boys' School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 52.2 in Bexley and 47 across England.
52% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 56% in Bexley and 47% in England.
That is down from 51.4 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.04: pupils made about 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 43.1, against 50.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 7.2 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Geography.
Getting a place at St Columba's Catholic Boys' School
For September 2026 entry, 84 families put St Columba's Catholic Boys' School as their first choice and 270 named it as one of their preferences, for 159 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St Columba's Catholic Boys' School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to St Columba's Catholic Boys' School are St Catherine's Catholic School (0.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 55.5); Beths Grammar School (0.4 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 73.2); Lift Bexleyheath (0.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47.3); and Townley Grammar School (0.7 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 74.8).
St Columba's Catholic Boys' School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
St Catherine's Catholic SchoolBeths Grammar SchoolLift BexleyheathTownley Grammar School
The trust
St Columba's Catholic Boys' School is one of 16 schools run by St Oscar Romero Catholic Academy Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
80 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Columba's Catholic Boys' School (as of September 2025): 91% would recommend the school, 95% say their child is happy there and 74% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that pupils behave well (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (74%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 169 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 91% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 18% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.
Who goes there
In 2026, 77 pupils (9.6%) received SEN support and 48 (6%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
St Columba's Catholic Boys' School has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs, autism, physical disability and moderate learning difficulties: 30 places, 30 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bexley, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Broomfield Road (DA6), 190 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Columba's Catholic Boys' School issued 121 suspensions, 15 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to St Columba's Catholic Boys' School are Gravel Hill Primary School (0.2 miles), Pelham Primary School (0.6 miles), Mayplace Primary School (0.6 miles) and St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Gravel Hill Primary SchoolPelham Primary SchoolMayplace Primary SchoolSt Joseph's Catholic Primary School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from September 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Columba's is a caring school where boys thrive academically and personally. Teachers are subject specialists who explain ideas clearly, and all pupils - including those with additional needs - access the same ambitious learning. The school goes beyond the classroom with numerous clubs, trips, and careers support to prepare young people thoroughly for their futures.
Key Strengths
- Pupils have excellent behaviour, attendance and positive attitudes to learning
- Well-designed curriculum with knowledgeable teachers who explain concepts clearly
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND, integrated fully into school life
- Extensive enrichment activities and strong careers guidance preparing pupils for their next steps
- Strong pastoral care and inclusive community where diversity is celebrated
Areas for Improvement
- Assessment not used consistently to check and correct pupils' misconceptions and errors
- Some pupils miss key knowledge elements and struggle to link learning to the bigger picture
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Field trips, museum visits, Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, mental health sessions, leadership opportunities, careers conferences, university visits, workplace visits
St Columba's Catholic Boys' School is a happy, inclusive school where pupils behave well, attend regularly, and achieve good results across an ambitious curriculum. The school has maintained good standards and provides strong support for all pupils, including those with special educational needs.
About
St Columba's Catholic Boys' School is a Roman Catholic boys' secondary school with academy status, located in the Bexleyheath area of the London Borough of Bexley, England.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
24.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: Speech and language, Autism, Physical +1
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
80 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has improved from -0.17 to 0.04 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has improved from 43.4 to 48.9 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has improved from 39% to 52% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 48.9 | 51.5% |
| Disadvantaged(33) | - | 43.1 | 48.5% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(136) | - | 50.3 | 52.2% |
| Boys(169) | - | 48.9 | 51.5% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(31) | - | 52.4 | 58.1% |
| Non mobile(163) | - | 49.1 | 51.5% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 2 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 169 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
3
Permanent exclusions
0.37%
Exclusion rate
121
Suspensions
14.96%
Suspension rate
65 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 809 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with St Columba's Catholic Boys' School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Columba's Catholic Boys' School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Columba's Catholic Boys' School is in Bexley; for families living there:
Apply to Bexley for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 59
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 9
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 59 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 51 slight.
9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise.
17 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Bexley is 28.5 (the median across 92 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at St Columba's Catholic Boys' School
Will you get a place at St Columba's Catholic Boys' School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Columba's Catholic Boys' School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Columba's Catholic Boys' School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Columba's Catholic Boys' School.
- Bexley publishes last distance offered figures, but none for St Columba's Catholic Boys' School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Columba's Catholic Boys' School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Bexley got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
91%
Near capacity
820 pupils
900 places
80 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Bexleyheath
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bexleyheath
Across Bexley council
Places available
3,269
Applications
2,992
Got 1st preference
68.1%
Got preferred school
95.3%
All secondary applications across Bexley council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
77
SEN Support
48
EHC Plans
15.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
St Columba's Catholic Boys' School has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs, autism, physical disability and moderate learning difficulties: 30 places, 30 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
805
Total Pupils
805
Boys
0
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
51
Teachers
15.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£59,830
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,634
Per pupil
£6524k
Total funding
£192k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.3%
Overall absence
14.3%
Persistent absence
866
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
St Columba's Catholic Boys' School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about St Columba's Catholic Boys' School
What are GCSE results like at St Columba's Catholic Boys' School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at St Columba's Catholic Boys' School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 48.9. 52% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is St Columba's Catholic Boys' School's Ofsted rating?
St Columba's Catholic Boys' School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Columba's Catholic Boys' School?
No fixed boundary. When St Columba's Catholic Boys' School is oversubscribed, Bexley allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Columba's Catholic Boys' School?
St Columba's Catholic Boys' School was not full in 2025: it ran at 91% of its 900 places.
How big are the classes at St Columba's Catholic Boys' School?
Classes at St Columba's Catholic Boys' School average 25.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Columba's Catholic Boys' School?
St Columba's Catholic Boys' School has around 805 pupils on roll. 24% are eligible for free school meals.
Does St Columba's Catholic Boys' School have specialist SEN provision?
St Columba's Catholic Boys' School has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs, autism, physical disability and moderate learning difficulties: 30 places, 30 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at St Columba's Catholic Boys' School?
5.3% of sessions were missed at St Columba's Catholic Boys' School in 2024/25. 14.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Columba's Catholic Boys' School?
Apply through Bexley's coordinated admissions process, naming St Columba's Catholic Boys' School on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
How many road collisions happen near St Columba's Catholic Boys' School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 59 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 51 slight. 9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise. 17 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Bexley is 28.5 (the median across 92 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Columba's Catholic Boys' School?
St Columba's Catholic Boys' School is at Halcot Avenue, Bexleyheath, Kent, DA6 7QB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)