St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham, Durham
St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 18 in Durham, part of Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the highest of the 6 schools in Durham with published results, and 397th of 3,298 across England. It was 89% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
- Progress (2024)
- Well above average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 4 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to County Durham (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham in detail
Results
In 2026, pupils at St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham averaged an Attainment 8 score of 56.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.6 in County Durham and 47 across England.
60% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 42% in County Durham and 47% in England.
That is down from 57.7 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.64: 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 44.7, against 58.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 13.9 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and History.
Getting a place at St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham
For September 2026 entry, 215 families put St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham as their first choice and 538 named it as one of their preferences, for 222 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 10 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham are Durham Johnston Comprehensive School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 56.3); Framwellgate School Durham (0.9 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 48.9); Durham Academy (2 miles, Attainment 8 39); and Belmont Community School (2.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.6).
St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Durham Johnston Comprehensive SchoolFramwellgate School DurhamDurham AcademyBelmont Community School
The trust
St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham is one of 47 schools run by Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 51.3 in 2024/25.
What parents say
206 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham (as of September 2025): 84% would recommend the school, 85% say their child is happy there and 62% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (91%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (62%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 214 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 94% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 28% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.
Of the 119 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 60% went on to university or other higher education, 8% to apprenticeships and 13% into work. 36% went to one of the most selective third of universities.
Who goes there
13.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 9.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 130 pupils (10.1%) received SEN support and 18 (1.4%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Durham Rail Station, about 520 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Leonards School (n-bound), 50 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 256 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in County Durham (84), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham issued 104 suspensions, 8.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham are St Margaret's Church of England Primary School (0.8 miles), Neville's Cross Primary School and Nursery (0.9 miles), Framwellgate Moor Primary School (0.9 miles) and Durham Newton Hall Infants' School (1 mile). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
St Margaret's Church of England Primary SchoolNeville's Cross Primary School and NurseryFramwellgate Moor Primary SchoolDurham Newton Hall Infants' School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
St Leonard's Catholic School proudly states that 'all pupils are known and loved'. This spreads through the culture of the school. Pupils thrive in this academic and nurturing environment. Pupils' warm, respectful relationships with staff set solid foundations for learning.
Pupils achieve exceptionally well in public examinations. Results at the school have improved year-on-year. Pupils enjoy a curriculum that is skilfully designed and taught. Expert staff teach students in the sixth form to become experts themselves. Students relish this academic challenge. They use the knowledge they gain to progress on to impressive next steps.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Since the last inspection, the school has made significant improvements for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). An ambitious and inclusive curriculum is in place for all pupils. Subject specialists are exceptionally knowledgeable and well trained. They use educational research to create a highly effective curriculum journey. This journey runs seamlessly from Year 7 to Year 13. Alongside this, the curriculum is enriched in meaningful ways. For example, sixth-form physics students excitedly share their experiences. This includes visiting a particle accelerator in Switzerland. Trips such as these enhance pupils' passion for the subject.
The school sequences pupils' learning with precision. Subject specialists carefully consider the steps that build a rich and secure body of knowledge over time. For example, lesson sequences in modern foreign languages are highly impactful. Staff make sure each unit secures the basics in phonics, vocabulary and grammar. In this and other subjects, pupils only move on when core learning is embedded. Pupils quickly build confidence with their subject-specific skills. They enjoy the success they achieve.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Requires Improvement at its January 2022 inspection - down from Good.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Sixth form.
Areas Ofsted flagged
Leadership & management (Requires Improvement).
About
St Leonard's Catholic School is a coeducational Roman Catholic secondary school and sixth form. It is in Durham, County Durham, England.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
13.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
206 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 remained stable at around 0.64 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has declined from 59.4 to 56.5 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has declined from 66% to 60% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 56.5 | 59.8% |
| Disadvantaged(31) | - | 44.7 | 29% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(178) | - | 58.6 | 65.2% |
| Boys(105) | - | 54.4 | 61.9% |
| Girls(104) | - | 58.7 | 57.7% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(23) | - | 56.4 | 65.2% |
| Non mobile(198) | - | 56.8 | 59.6% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 3 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 214 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
1
Permanent exclusions
0.08%
Exclusion rate
104
Suspensions
8.25%
Suspension rate
53 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 1,260 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham is in County Durham; for families living there:
- County Durham's school travel policy: School transport policies and strategies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school travel
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 County Durham is 5 (the median across 280 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 Leonard's Catholic School, Durham
Will you get a place at St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from County Durham, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham for 2017 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in County Durham 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
89%
Available places
1,268 pupils
1,431 places
163 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Durham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Durham
Across County Durham council
Places available
5,720
Applications
4,986
Got 1st preference
94.2%
Got preferred school
98.5%
All secondary applications across County Durham council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
130
SEN Support
18
EHC Plans
11.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
1,293
Total Pupils
653
Boys
640
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
80
Teachers
16.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,014
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,734
Per pupil
£7411k
Total funding
£158k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.5%
Overall absence
15.9%
Persistent absence
1,085
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 Leonard's Catholic School, Durham
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham
What are GCSE results like at St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham?
In the 2026 results, pupils at St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham achieved an Attainment 8 score of 56.5. 60% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham's Ofsted rating?
St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham?
No fixed boundary. When St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham is oversubscribed, County Durham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham?
St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham was not full in 2025: it ran at 89% of its 1431 places.
How big are the classes at St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham?
Classes at St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham average 22.7 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham?
St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham has around 1293 pupils on roll. 14% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham?
6.5% of sessions were missed at St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham in 2024/25. 15.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham?
Apply through County Durham's coordinated admissions process, naming St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham 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 Leonard's Catholic School, Durham?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 County Durham is 5 (the median across 280 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham?
St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham is at North End, Durham, DH1 4NG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)