St Damian's RC Science College Review 2026: Outstanding Catholic secondary, high expectations, broad opportunities

A distinctive feature of this school is how explicitly it frames daily life around faith, service, and shared standards. The Catholic identity is not treated as a bolt-on, it runs through worship, pupil leadership, and the way behaviour is described and reinforced. The chapel sits at the heart of a cruciform building design, and it is used regularly for assemblies, liturgy, and private prayer, signalling the centrality of Catholic life to the community.

Academic ambition sits alongside that moral framework. The most recent Ofsted inspection (June 2023) confirmed the school continues to be Outstanding, with calm classrooms, strong routines, and a curriculum that supports high achievement across subjects.

This is also a popular choice locally. For the main Year 7 entry route, 565 applications competed for 157 offers, which equates to 3.6 applications per place, so families should assume competition and plan early.

Standards and relationships are the two recurring themes in how the school describes itself, and they are reinforced by external evaluation. Students are expected to meet clear behavioural expectations and to treat each other with respect, and this is presented as part of the wider Catholic mission rather than a narrow discipline agenda. The ethos statement sets out a community that welcomes families of different backgrounds while still being explicit about Catholic worship and Gospel values, with regular opportunities for collective acts of worship and service initiatives.

Catholic life has visible structure. A United in Faith Committee includes staff, governors, parents, and pupils and meets termly to support liturgy and the school’s mission. The chapel is described as open for prayer and reflection, and the school notes recent additions including stained glass windows and technology to support inclusive worship.

Leadership continuity also shapes culture. Mr Sheldon Logue has worked at the school since 2006 and was appointed Headteacher in 2011, a tenure long enough to embed consistent expectations and a stable approach to improvement.

A practical, safety-conscious culture comes through in the way safeguarding routines are explained to parents. The school outlines a lockdown procedure called UNITE, practised three times per year, and stresses that students’ phones are not used during incidents to maintain calm and support accurate communication.

The most reliable way to understand outcomes is to look at both attainment and progress, then place them in the context of peer performance. On headline measures, the Attainment 8 score is 52.7 and Progress 8 is 0.24, indicating students, on average, make above-average progress from their starting points.

EBacc indicators point to a curriculum with academic breadth. The EBacc average point score is 4.98, and 33.8% of students achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc entry.

In England, relative performance is strong. Ranked 901st in England and 1st in Ashton-under-Lyne for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school sits above England average, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England.

For parents comparing nearby options, this is the useful summary: outcomes are not just “good for the area”, they are strong by England standards as well, and they appear supported by consistent routines and a clear curriculum model. Families using FindMySchool’s Local Hub comparison tools can pressure-test this picture against other local secondaries before committing to a shortlist.

The curriculum is described as intentionally ambitious. The June 2023 inspection report notes that most students in key stage 4 follow the full English Baccalaureate suite and that subject content is sequenced clearly so staff know what should be taught and when. That matters because it reduces variability between classes and helps parents understand why behaviour and learning feel consistent across the school.

Daily time is structured. The school runs a 10-day timetable cycle of 50 periods, with a published day structure that begins with form time at 09:00 and ends with dismissal at 15:10.

Literacy is positioned as everybody’s business, not just the English department’s. The inspection report highlights a “literacy hub” and form-time literacy programmes, with targeted support for students who need help closing reading gaps. This kind of model tends to suit students who benefit from routines and systematic consolidation, particularly when moving from primary into a larger secondary setting.

There is no sixth form here, so the key transition is post-16. The school signposts a broad set of local colleges and sixth form providers for students exploring A-level, vocational, technical, and apprenticeship routes. Named options include Ashton Sixth Form College, Clarendon Sixth Form College, Loreto Sixth Form College, Tameside College, and The Manchester College, among others.

What matters for parents is how early the school starts planning and how well it supports different pathways, not just a single academic route. The inspection report notes careers guidance includes engagement with employers, colleges, universities, and apprenticeship providers, and that Year 10 students take part in work experience placements. This is the kind of programme that can help students make realistic choices and build a stronger post-16 application.

For families with strong academic ambitions, it is worth noting that the school’s EBacc emphasis signals an academic core that keeps options open for A-level pathways later, even though those courses will be taken elsewhere.

The school sits within Tameside’s coordinated admissions system for Year 7 entry. For September 2026 entry, the local authority portal states applications open on 1 September 2025, the closing date is 31 October 2025, and offers can be viewed from 2 March 2026.

Demand is high. With 565 applications and 157 offers for the main entry route, there are 3.6 applications per place, so admission is often the limiting factor rather than interest in the school. Families should plan around deadlines, gather evidence early, and treat the supplementary requirements as time-sensitive rather than an administrative afterthought.

As a voluntary aided Catholic school, there are additional steps. The school states that applications must be accompanied by a completed supplementary form and a copy of the child’s baptism certificate, and it notes an application is not complete without this certificate.

Open events appear to be part of the school’s annual pattern. A published Open Evening page includes visitor guidance and notes that parking can be limited, with some additional parking arranged nearby for that event, so families should plan travel in advance and check the website for the current year’s arrangements.

Pastoral practice is framed around inclusion and high expectations, with explicit reference to students with SEND being part of mainstream school life. The inspection report describes systems to identify needs quickly and adapt teaching accordingly, alongside full participation in leadership and clubs.

Safeguarding is presented as systematic and rehearsed. UNITE is described as a lockdown procedure that uses a tannoy alert and on-screen prompts, with staff accounting for students and leaders coordinating site safety. The school also states it practises the procedure three times each year. For parents, the practical implication is reassurance: if a student is anxious about safety routines, there is a clear script and repeated rehearsal.

Faith and wellbeing are linked in the school’s own language. Worship, reflection, and pupil-led prayer are positioned as tools for personal development, and service activity is treated as part of character education rather than an optional extra.

Extracurricular life is described as running before school, at lunchtime, and after school, with staff-led activities intended to extend learning and provide a structured social space for students who may be more vulnerable.

The most distinctive named opportunities sit in student leadership and service. Roles include Eco Club, Bully Busters, GIFT Team, Peer Reader, Sports Leaders, and Language Leaders. This matters because these are not generic clubs, they are responsibility-bearing roles that often help students build confidence and a sense of belonging, particularly in Years 7 to 9 when transition can be unsettled.

STEM

STEM leadership is structured rather than ad hoc. STEM Leaders meet weekly and create regular quizzes for Year 10 form time, including themed science content linked to real-world events. The practical payoff is twofold: students with strong interest can take leadership responsibility, and the wider year group benefits from frequent low-stakes retrieval and curiosity-building prompts.

Duke of Edinburgh is another clear pillar and is described with unusual specificity. Since 2018, 117 pupils have worked towards Bronze in Year 9 and 87 towards Silver in Year 10, and the page also states that in the current year 29 students are working towards Bronze and 35 towards Silver. This kind of programme suits students who respond well to long-term goals and want experiences that can strengthen college applications later.

Sport is supported by strong facilities. The school lists a large sports hall, a gym, a MUGA, an Astroturf area, a football field, and an athletics track, and it describes participation in local competitions through Tameside schools partnerships. For families, the implication is straightforward: sport is not dependent on off-site hire, and participation can be sustained across the year.

The school day is clearly published. Form time begins at 09:00, the lunch break starts at 13:30, and dismissal is at 15:10.

Transport planning is supported on the school’s own bus information pages, including guidance on igo cards used for child fares across buses and trams in Greater Manchester. The school notes the igo card costs £10 and lasts until 31 August after a student’s 16th birthday.

For open events, the school has previously highlighted that on-site parking can be extremely limited, and it has arranged limited additional parking nearby for visitors, so families should factor travel time into planning.

• High competition for places. With 565 applications and 157 offers in the main entry route, admission is pressured. Families should treat deadlines as non-negotiable and plan paperwork early.

• Faith-based documentary requirements. The school states applications must include a supplementary form and a baptism certificate. Families should read the admissions policy carefully and confirm exactly what evidence is required for their circumstances.

• No sixth form on site. All students move on elsewhere post-16. For some, this is a positive reset and a chance to specialise; for others, it can feel like a disruption after Year 11.

• Structured safeguarding routines. UNITE lockdown practice is described as taking place three times a year. This tends to reassure, but students who are anxious about emergency routines may benefit from advance explanation at home.

A high-performing, values-led Catholic secondary with consistent routines and a track record that sits comfortably within the top quarter of schools in England for GCSE outcomes. The combination of ambitious curriculum expectations, strong behaviour, and structured leadership roles is likely to suit students who respond well to clarity, accountability, and a faith-informed culture of service. Securing admission is usually the main hurdle, and families should approach the process early, with careful attention to the supplementary requirements and local authority timelines.