St John's Catholic Comprehensive, Gravesend

In its own words: "In our Catholic school, the teachings of Christ permeate all aspects of School life. We seek to offer a high standard of education for all, care to each individual and good relations between staff, students and parents."

Coming up: an open evening on Monday 26 October 2026 and an open evening on Friday 6 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at St John's Catholic Comprehensive averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.3, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 48.1 in Kent and 47 across England.

34% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 49% in Kent and 47% in England.

That is up from 42.1 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.11: 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 36.7, against 49.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 12.4 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 29 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Social Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 304 families put St John's Catholic Comprehensive as their first choice and 813 named it as one of their preferences, for 172 places offered. That is 1.8 first choices for every place. 149 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to St John's Catholic Comprehensive are Gravesend Grammar School (0.2 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 67.9); Thamesview School (1 mile, Good, Attainment 8 36.6); Saint George's Church of England School (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.1); and Mayfield Grammar School, Gravesend (1.1 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 62.2).

St John's Catholic Comprehensive's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

137 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St John's Catholic Comprehensive (as of September 2025): 93% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 77% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (95%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (77%).

Of the 196 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 89% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 19% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 157 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 57% went on to university or other higher education, 6% to apprenticeships and 22% into work. 8% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

25.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (39%), Black (17%) and Mixed (15%).

In 2026, 155 pupils (11.6%) received SEN support and 39 (2.9%) 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 autism.

The nearest railway station is Gravesend Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St John's School (in), 240 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 409 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Kent (101), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, St John's Catholic Comprehensive issued 205 suspensions, 15.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to St John's Catholic Comprehensive are St John's Catholic Primary School, Gravesend (0.2 miles); Westcourt Primary School (0.4 miles); Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School (0.5 miles); and Chantry Community Primary School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.