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Academy sponsor led · St. Helens

St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Academy

  • 11–16Ages
  • 549Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • Roman CatholicReligious character
  • 149031URN

Boardmans Lane, Blackbrook, St. Helens, WA11 9BB · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Dec 2024 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
2.3per place
0.3 above St. Helens median (2.1)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in St. Helens

225 applications for 96 places · 3rd of 8 in St. Helens
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
45.1of 90
4th of 8 in St. Helens
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Graded inspection · 3 December 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
AreaOutstandingGoodRequires improvementInadequate
Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood

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
2.3applications per place, Year 7
0.3 above St. Helens median (2.1) close to England median (2.2)

225 applications · 96 places offered · 84 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

  1. 2026 2.3; St. Helens median median 2.1
  2. 2025 2.6; St. Helens median median 2.2
  3. 2024 1.9; St. Helens median median 1.9
  4. 2023 1.8; St. Helens median median 1.8
  5. 2022 1.4; St. Helens median median 1.7; as the previous school
  6. 2021 2.2; St. Helens median median 1.9; as the previous school
  7. 2020 1.9; St. Helens median median 2.0; as the previous school
  8. 2019 1.5; St. Helens median median 1.9; as the previous school
  9. 2018 1.8; St. Helens median median 1.9; as the previous school
  10. 2017 1.7; St. Helens median median 1.5; as the previous school
  11. 2016 2.1; St. Helens median median 1.5; as the previous school
  12. 2015 2.3; St. Helens median median 1.6; as the previous school
  13. 2014 2.3; St. Helens median median 1.6; as the previous school
  • This school
  • St. Helens median

Dashed bars: as St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High School (URN 104833), the previous school.

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, 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.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 2026962252.3840.88
Sep 20251022672.6990.97
Sep 20241182271.91120.95
Sep 20231292261.8980.76
Sep 2022 *1271741.4630.50
Sep 2021 *871882.2800.92
Sep 2020 *901701.9770.86
Sep 2019 *1021541.5620.61
Sep 2018 *1272321.81040.82
Sep 2017 *1522641.71591.05
Sep 2016 *1122312.11080.96
Sep 2015 *992272.3940.95
Sep 2014 *1092512.31050.96

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

108 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)45.14th of 8 in St. Helens
Grade 5 or above in English and maths34%7th of 8 in St. Helens
Grade 4 or above in English and maths55%
  • This school
  • St. Helens median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.05
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)10845.134%55%–
2024/257942.628%57%–
2023/2410345.032%59%−0.05
2022/2312235.729%41%−0.70

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

  • 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
Secondary
URN · DfE number
149031 · 342/4001
Trust
St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Religious character
Roman Catholic
Capacity
750 pupils · 549 on roll
Free school meals
50.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 April 2022
Replaced
St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High School (URN 104833)
Address
Boardmans Lane, Blackbrook, St. Helens, WA11 9BB
Local authority
St. Helens

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