Academy sponsor led · Lewisham

St Matthew Academy

4–16Ages
1,063Pupils
All-throughPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
135264URN

St Joseph's Vale, Blackheath, London, SE3 0XX · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2025 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

4.0per place

0.5 above Lewisham median (3.5)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Lewisham

622 applications for 155 places · 5th of 14 in Lewisham

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

54.2of 90

Lewisham 49.6 England 46.0

2nd of 14 in Lewisham

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 11 March 2025Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education	Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding
Early years provision	Outstanding

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

4.0applications per place, Year 7

0.5 above Lewisham median (3.5) 1.8 above England median (2.2)

622 applications · 155 places offered · 134 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 4.0; Lewisham median median 3.6
2025 3.1; Lewisham median median 3.6
2024 2.9; Lewisham median median 3.8
2023 2.9; Lewisham median median 3.1
2022 3.8; Lewisham median median 3.0
2021 3.8; Lewisham median median 3.1
2020 3.0; Lewisham median median 3.1
2019 3.4; Lewisham median median 3.4
2018 3.8; Lewisham median median 3.7
2017 4.8; Lewisham median median 3.3
2016 2.8; Lewisham median median 3.0
2015 3.7; Lewisham median median 2.9
2014 3.2; Lewisham median median 3.2

This school
Lewisham median

Reception entry, September 2026: 3.4 per place (61 applications for 18 places).

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	155	622	4.0	134	0.86
Sep 2025	157	479	3.1	66	0.42
Sep 2024	146	416	2.9	78	0.53
Sep 2023	146	419	2.9	67	0.46
Sep 2022	132	500	3.8	95	0.72
Sep 2021	134	505	3.8	95	0.71
Sep 2020	139	418	3.0	72	0.52
Sep 2019	107	368	3.4	47	0.44
Sep 2018	58	222	3.8	26	0.45
Sep 2017	64	308	4.8	26	0.41
Sep 2016	147	412	2.8	91	0.62
Sep 2015	130	485	3.7	83	0.64
Sep 2014	153	491	3.2	100	0.65

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

175 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)54.22nd of 14 in Lewisham

Lewisham 49.6 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths54%6th of 14 in Lewisham

Lewisham 47% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths77%

Lewisham 70% England 66%

This school
Lewisham median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.57

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	175	54.2	54%	77%	–
2024/25	172	47.2	40%	59%	–
2023/24	171	50.1	56%	73%	+0.57
2022/23	142	48.7	54%	69%	+0.35

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

St Matthew AcademyThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2025

4.0applications per place 54.2Attainment 8
Trinity Church of England School, Lewisham
1.1 km · Lewisham

2025

4.2applications per place 50.0Attainment 8
Prendergast Vale School
1.1 km · Lewisham

Not yet inspected

4.6applications per place 40.2Attainment 8
St Ursula's Convent School
1.4 km · Greenwich

2025

1.2applications per place 54.0Attainment 8
The John Roan School
1.7 km · Greenwich

Good2023

3.5applications per place 46.3Attainment 8
Thomas Tallis School
1.8 km · Greenwich

Remains Good2024

4.8applications per place 47.4Attainment 8
Prendergast School
1.9 km · Lewisham

Graded · no overall grade2025

4.8applications per place 59.0Attainment 8
Addey and Stanhope School
2.3 km · Lewisham

Remains Good2023

3.1applications per place 43.6Attainment 8
Leigh Academy Blackheath
2.4 km · Greenwich

Outstanding2022

7.1applications per place 53.7Attainment 8

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: All-through
URN · DfE number: 135264 · 209/6907
Trust: St Benedict Catholic Academy Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 1,650 pupils · 1,063 on roll
Free school meals: 34.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 September 2007
Address: St Joseph's Vale, Blackheath, London, SE3 0XX
Local authority: Lewisham

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources