St Damian's RC Science College, Ashton-under-Lyne

In its own words: ""A good school provides a rounded education for the whole person. And a good Catholic school, over and above this, should help all its students to become saints. '' Established in 1963, St Damian's is a Roman Catholic 11 - 16 Mixed Comprehensive College situated on the edge of Ashton-under-Lyne, bordering on neighbouring hills and fields."

In 2026, pupils at St Damian's RC Science College averaged an Attainment 8 score of 56, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.4 in Tameside and 47 across England.

68% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 43% in Tameside and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 55.1.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.24: pupils made 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 43.4, against 60 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 16.6 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Spanish.

For September 2026 entry, 192 families put St Damian's RC Science College as their first choice and 535 named it as one of their preferences, for 159 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 45 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to St Damian's RC Science College are Dixons Ashton Academy (0.4 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 37.7); West Hill School (1.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.2); The Hathershaw College (1.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 35.2); and Oasis Academy Leesbrook (1.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 40.4).

St Damian's RC Science College's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Of the 160 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 89% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 29% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

In 2026, 77 pupils (9.3%) received SEN support and 33 (4%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Ashton-under-Lyne Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.

14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Damian's RC Science College, 50 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Damian's RC Science College stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, St Damian's RC Science College issued 188 suspensions, 22.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to St Damian's RC Science College are Holden Clough Primary School (0.3 miles); St Christopher's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy (0.4 miles); Rosehill Methodist Primary Academy (0.7 miles); and Oasis Academy Broadoak (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.