St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall Review 2026: A large Catholic secondary with strong facilities and a clear pastoral structure

St Thomas More Catholic School is a sizeable, mixed secondary and sixth form serving families across Willenhall and the wider Walsall area. Catholic identity is a defining feature, with chaplaincy and collective worship forming part of the rhythm of the school week, while remaining open to students from other faiths and none.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (11 October 2022) judged the school Good across all graded areas, including sixth form provision. That rating aligns with a picture of consistent systems, a structured school day, and a clear approach to student support, in a setting designed to handle large numbers without feeling purely transactional.

Facilities are a practical strength. The school describes a modern learning resource centre, several ICT suites, a dedicated chapel, a drama area, a 250-seat theatre and assembly hall, extensive playing fields, and a sports hall with a climbing wall and gym equipment. Sixth form students also have dedicated study spaces, including a sixth form bistro designed for study and social time.

A Catholic ethos sits at the centre of the school’s identity, expressed in its mission statement, Guided by Christ. Inspired to Service. Aspiring for Excellence. That values framing matters because it shapes expectations around conduct, relationships, and how the school talks about personal development. The website also signals an inclusive stance, emphasising that students of all faith backgrounds are welcome.

Chaplaincy appears to be structured rather than symbolic. The school describes opportunities for prayer, reflection and liturgy, plus service activity that connects faith to action. Student involvement is practical, including organising collections and fundraising, and working with charities such as CAFOD and local community support. For families who want a Catholic secondary where belief is lived through service and community action, that is likely to feel like a strong fit. For families who prefer faith to sit more lightly in day-to-day life, it is worth clarifying what participation looks like across year groups.

The scale of the school can be a positive when systems are well designed. A large cohort typically supports breadth, in subjects, activities, and peer groups, but it can also raise the stakes for pastoral visibility. St Thomas More’s published structure points to routine touchpoints, including form time as a core part of the day, positioned as important for prayer, reflection, and wellbeing messages as well as administration.

Leadership is clearly identified. The current headteacher is Mrs Siobhan Bowen. The school’s public messaging is consistent in tone, with a steady emphasis on knowing students well, encouraging confidence, and building a community frame around learning and service.

For GCSE outcomes, the school’s position sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile) based on proprietary FindMySchool rankings derived from official performance data. It is ranked 2690th in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), and 1st in the Bilston local area grouping. This combination often signals a school that is outperforming its immediate vicinity even if national performance is closer to the England middle.

At GCSE level, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 42.1. The Progress 8 score is -0.44, which indicates students, on average, made less progress than similar students nationally from their starting points. EBacc measures point to a narrower EBacc profile, with 10.1% achieving grade 5 or above in the EBacc and an average EBacc APS of 3.62.

For A-level outcomes, the picture is more challenging relative to England. The sixth form is ranked 2124th in England (FindMySchool ranking), again 1st in the Bilston local area grouping, placing it below England average overall (bottom 40% nationally). Grade distribution data shows 2.49% of entries at A*, 6.76% at A, 21.35% at B, and 30.6% at A* to B combined.

The implication for families is not a simple yes or no on academic quality, but a question of fit and trajectory. For students who thrive with clear structure and respond well to consistent routines, schools with stable systems can unlock stronger outcomes than raw headline measures suggest. For students who need an especially academic, exam-driven environment with consistently high value-added across subjects, it is sensible to look closely at subject-level patterns, set structures, and the school’s approach to intervention in Years 10 and 11.

Parents comparing local schools can use the FindMySchool Local Hub comparison tool to view GCSE and sixth form outcomes side-by-side, particularly useful when local rank and England rank tell different stories.

The published day structure is explicit and tight, which usually supports consistent lesson starts and predictable routines. Form time and assembly begin at 08:40, the taught day runs through five periods, and the formal end of day is 15:15. That clarity tends to benefit students who prefer certainty and who gain confidence from knowing what happens when.

Curriculum breadth is supported by the school’s facilities and its emphasis on ICT infrastructure. Multiple ICT suites and networked classrooms are positioned as core infrastructure rather than an add-on. The school also promotes structured starts to learning, referencing a school-wide approach for lesson beginnings, which often helps with focus, retrieval, and behaviour for learning, particularly in large settings.

In practical subjects and performance areas, facilities also matter. A drama area, theatre and assembly hall, and dedicated spaces for sixth form study indicate an environment that can support both academic study habits and public-facing performance work. For students who learn well through presentation, discussion, and creative output, that combination can be useful, especially when paired with opportunities such as school productions and performance events referenced in school communications.

Where Students Go Next

For the 2023/24 leavers cohort, 59% progressed to university, 3% to further education, 4% to apprenticeships, and 17% to employment. These routes suggest a mixed set of next steps, with university as the most common pathway but with a meaningful share moving directly into work or combining education with work-focused routes.

Oxbridge numbers are small, but they exist. Recent data shows two Cambridge applications and one acceptance. In a large, mixed-intake sixth form, this tends to indicate that high-end academic aspiration is present but not the dominant culture for most students. For families with a highly academic student, the useful question is whether stretching pathways are visible in teaching groups, subject enrichment, and application support, rather than the absolute number itself.

Careers education is presented as active rather than passive, including access to guidance and a staffed drop-in careers office. In practice, this matters most for students who do not yet have a clear line of sight to post-18 plans, or who are weighing apprenticeships, vocational pathways, and mixed routes alongside more traditional university choices.

Year 7 applications are coordinated through Walsall Council. For September 2026 entry, the published national closing date for on-time applications was 31 October 2025 at 10pm, with secondary national offer day on 2 March 2026. This timeline is typical year to year, so families targeting future entry should expect an autumn deadline in Year 6 and offers in early March.

As a Catholic school, admissions include an additional school form. The school’s admissions information states that a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) must be completed and returned directly to the school by the same deadline as the local authority application for the relevant entry year. Families aiming to be considered under faith criteria should treat the SIF as essential, and should confirm what evidence is required (for example, sacramental details or parish information) well before the deadline.

Open evenings are clearly signposted. For the 2026 entry cycle, the school held a Year 7 open evening on Thursday 18 September 2025 (4.30pm to 6.30pm), and a sixth form open evening on Thursday 2 October 2025 (4.30pm to 6.30pm). If you are planning for a later entry year, it is reasonable to expect similar timings in September and early October, with exact dates confirmed on the school’s calendar.

Pastoral structures are presented as form-led, with the form tutor positioned as the first point of contact, which is a sensible model in a large school where consistency of relationships matters. The school also describes a targeted intervention programme supporting social skills, conflict resolution, and related areas, suggesting additional layers beyond the tutor system for students who need structured help with friendships, confidence, or emotional regulation.

The Catholic dimension shapes wellbeing too. Chaplaincy is framed as pastoral as well as spiritual, with opportunities for reflection, prayer, and service, plus the involvement of student groups in charitable work. For many students, that combination can create a sense of belonging and purpose beyond academic targets alone.

The most recent Ofsted inspection judged safeguarding effective, alongside the school’s Good outcomes across all graded areas, including behaviour and attitudes and personal development. For parents, the practical next step is to understand how concerns are raised, how attendance and punctuality are followed up, and how the school responds when students begin to drift, particularly at key transition points such as Year 9 options and the move into Year 10.

A school of this size benefits when enrichment is treated as a core offer rather than optional extras. St Thomas More publishes regular extra-curricular timetables, and the range is not purely sport-led. A recent timetable for younger year groups includes clubs such as Drama Club, Art Club, and Philosophy Club. That blend matters because it provides different routes into belonging. Not every student wants competitive sport, but many still want a structured reason to stay after school and build friendships.

Sport is supported by physical infrastructure. The school describes extensive playing fields, access to an adjacent five-a-side complex, and a sports hall with a climbing wall and gym equipment. In practice, this supports a broad PE and clubs programme, with activities referenced by the school including netball, football, basketball, table tennis and rock climbing, plus summer sports such as cricket, tennis and athletics. The implication is straightforward, active students can find outlets several days a week, and the variety supports both team-sport students and those who prefer individual challenge.

A notable academic and cultural strand is also visible through school communications, for example participation in a national oracy event and structured writing competitions for younger students. This sort of enrichment tends to benefit students whose confidence grows through public speaking, performance, and purposeful writing, particularly when these opportunities are framed as normal rather than exceptional.

For students who need a quiet, supervised space after lessons, the after-school club runs daily from 3.00pm to 4.00pm in the library, positioned as a place for homework and reading as well as calm downtime. In a large school, this kind of structured, low-pressure provision can be a practical support for routines at home, especially when parents are working or when travel time makes immediate departure difficult.

The published school day runs from form time at 08:40 to the end of day at 15:15. Breakfast club is available Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 8.30am. For after school, the library-based after-school club runs from 3.00pm to 4.00pm.

Transport is supported by dedicated bus services referenced by the school, including routes numbered 701 and 703, with published information indicating arrivals before the start of school and departures at the end of the day. For families considering travel from further afield, it is sensible to confirm the latest routes and any diversions, as the school also publishes updates when routes change due to roadworks.

As a state school, there are no tuition fees. Families should still budget for the usual associated costs such as uniform, optional trips, and optional music or enrichment activities where applicable.

• Catholic life is central. Chaplaincy and faith-based service are presented as integral to the school, not a light-touch add-on. Families should be comfortable with a school culture shaped by prayer, liturgy and Catholic values.

• GCSE progress is an area to interrogate. A Progress 8 score of -0.44 suggests outcomes are, on average, behind those of similar students nationally. For some learners, strong structure and the right subject fit can still lead to very good individual results, but it is sensible to ask how intervention works in Years 10 and 11.

• A-level outcomes are weaker relative to England. The A-level ranking sits in the lower national band, and the A* to B proportion (30.6%) is well below typical England levels. This does not rule out success for individual students, but it makes sixth form conversations about subject choice, teaching groups, and support particularly important.

• Scale can be a strength, but it requires active pastoral engagement. The school day and systems are clearly set out, and there are structured support options, yet some students do better in smaller settings. Visiting at an open event and asking about tutor contact, year leadership, and escalation routes is worthwhile.

St Thomas More Catholic School offers a large, well-equipped Catholic secondary with a clear daily structure, visible chaplaincy life, and practical supports such as breakfast provision and a library-based after-school space. It suits families who want faith and service integrated into school life, and students who respond well to routine, clear expectations, and breadth in facilities and activities. The main decision point is academic trajectory, especially GCSE progress and sixth form outcomes, so families should focus their questions on intervention, subject-level strength, and post-16 study support.