St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School, Rochester

In its own words: "of parents said that they would recommend St.John Fisher to another parent of students rated the support that they get from teachers as excellent/good"

In 2026, pupils at St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.3 in Medway and 47 across England.

32% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Medway and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 40.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.55: pupils made well below 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 29.8, against 45.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 15.8 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Social Studies, Religious Studies and Combined Science.

For September 2026 entry, 102 families put St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School as their first choice and 418 named it as one of their preferences, for 174 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School are Fort Pitt Grammar School (0.2 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 63); Holcombe Grammar School (0.8 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 59.8); The Rochester Grammar School (0.8 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 67.5); and The Victory Academy (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 38.9).

St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

53 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School (as of September 2025): 70% would recommend the school, 70% say their child is happy there and 60% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (70%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (59%).

Of the 175 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 83% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 23% to a further education college and 1% to an apprenticeship.

Of the 83 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 57% went on to university or other higher education, 4% to apprenticeships and 18% into work. 8% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

In 2026, 173 pupils (16%) received SEN support and 27 (2.5%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Chatham Rail Station, about 400 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Haymen Street (opposite), 70 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 836 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Medway (250), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School issued 183 suspensions, 16.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School are St John's Church of England Infant School (0.1 miles), St Michael Catholic Primary and Nursery School (0.2 miles), Balfour Junior School (0.3 miles) and Balfour Infant School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.