All Saints Catholic College, Dukinfield Review 2026: Catholic secondary with clear routines and a strong pupil leadership culture

A Catholic secondary serving Dukinfield and the surrounding Tameside area, this is a school where relationships matter, pupil voice is taken seriously, and the wider life of the college is organised around responsibility and service as much as it is around lessons. You see that most clearly in how many pupils take on ambassador roles, volunteer through school projects, and participate in structured programmes such as The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

The April 2025 Ofsted inspection graded the school Requires Improvement for Quality of Education and Leadership and Management, with Behaviour and Attitudes and Personal Development both graded Good.

Academically, the recent GCSE indicators in the FindMySchool dataset point to outcomes below England average overall, with particular work to do on progress measures. At the same time, the inspection evidence consistently highlights a calm direction of travel around routines, reading, and behaviour, plus a clearer approach to personal development than many schools of similar profile.

There is an emphasis on community and belonging, expressed in both Catholic language and the school’s day to day structures. Retreats run through the chaplaincy programme, and the college positions itself as a faith community as well as a mainstream secondary.

A distinctive feature is how deliberately the school builds responsibility into pupils’ experience. Leadership routes include prefect roles from Year 10, a structured ambassador programme across subjects and areas of school life, and volunteering pathways linked to the Duke of Edinburgh framework. The effect is practical, pupils are expected to contribute, not just participate.

School routines are clearly defined and time structured. For Key Stage 3, the published day begins at 08:40 and lessons run through to a short form period at the end of the day. That regularity matters for families whose children benefit from predictability, and it also supports consistent behaviour expectations across corridors and classrooms.

This is an 11 to 16 school, so the main published outcomes are GCSE measures.

GCSE rankings (FindMySchool)

Ranked 3,277th in England and 1st in Dukinfield for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). With an England percentile of 0.7135, results sit below England average overall, within the bottom 40% of schools in England on this measure.

Core GCSE indicators (FindMySchool dataset)

• Attainment 8 score: 38.

• Progress 8 score: -0.61, indicating pupils make less progress than similar pupils nationally from their starting points.

• EBacc average point score: 3.16.

• Percentage achieving grades 5 or above in the EBacc: 7.4%.

These figures suggest that academic performance is an area where improvement work needs to translate into consistently stronger classroom delivery, particularly as pupils move into Key Stage 4 where curriculum sequencing and depth become decisive for GCSE outcomes. That challenge is also echoed in the most recent inspection narrative about curriculum design and delivery, especially in Key Stage 4.

The curriculum is broad, and in Key Stage 3 it is described as being structured around key knowledge that pupils should build over time. The bigger issue is consistency, both across subjects and across key stages, where Key Stage 4 design and delivery has been identified as less secure.

Reading is treated as a whole school priority. Initiatives referenced in official evidence include ‘book buzz’ and form reading, and pupils who struggle with reading are identified and supported so that fluency improves over time. For families with children who arrive with weaker literacy, this focus can be a genuine strength, particularly when the support is paired with consistent classroom routines.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and or disabilities is clearly on the leadership agenda, with strengthened identification systems. The main risk is uneven implementation, where some staff adapt teaching well and others need more support and training to do so consistently. Families with children who rely on effective day to day scaffolding should focus questions on how teaching adaptations are checked across subjects, and how communication between school and home works in practice.

With no sixth form, the key transition is post 16. Careers guidance is described as effective in helping pupils prepare for their next steps, which typically means sixth form colleges, further education, apprenticeships, or training routes depending on attainment and interest.

The school also places value on developing employability habits earlier than Year 11. The ambassador framework, volunteering, and structured leadership roles build the kind of evidence pupils later need for applications, interviews, and references. For some pupils, that practical leadership record can be as important as headline grades, particularly if they are aiming for vocational or mixed academic pathways at 16.

All Saints is a Catholic school within Tameside’s secondary admissions system, so Year 7 applications are coordinated through the local authority rather than made directly to the school. The published deadline for Year 7 entry in September 2026 is 31 October 2025.

Because this is a faith school, families should expect an additional layer of evidence for some oversubscription categories, usually via a supplementary information form and supporting documentation such as proof of baptism where relevant. The school’s admissions policy for 2026 to 2027 sets out the oversubscription structure and the evidence requirements for those applying under faith related criteria.

Demand indicators in the FindMySchool dataset show an oversubscribed picture in the latest available admissions data, with 321 applications and 156 offers, which is about 2.06 applications per place. Competition for places is therefore a meaningful factor, even before faith criteria are considered.

For families unsure how their application might be prioritised, it is worth using the FindMySchoolMap Search and shortlist tools to compare realistic options and understand how admission rules may apply to your address and circumstances.

Pastoral systems are anchored in expectations and relationships rather than a purely punitive approach. The inspection evidence points to respectful and supportive staff pupil relationships, pupils feeling safe, and a behaviour policy that is improving conduct in lessons and around school.

The April 2025 Ofsted inspection also confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Personal development is not treated as an optional extra. Charitable links include work with a local hospice and food bank, and the school uses trips, volunteering, and leadership opportunities to build resilience and a sense of responsibility. For many families, this is the part of the school that feels most coherent and intentional, because pupils are given defined roles, deadlines, and real responsibilities, not just encouragement.

The wider curriculum is organised around both enrichment and service. The most visible flagship is The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The school states that over the past three years it has welcomed more than 150 students onto the programme, and that more than 45% of Year 9 pupils participate, which is unusually high participation for a mainstream secondary. This matters because the value of DofE depends on scale, it works best when participation is normalised rather than limited to a small, already confident subset.

Leadership opportunities are also unusually structured. The published pupil leadership framework includes PE Ambassadors, Science Ambassadors, Languages Leaders in modern foreign languages, Performing Arts Ambassadors, and Hospitality and Catering Ambassadors. These roles are designed to be active, with expectations such as supporting events, representing the school with feeder primaries, and helping deliver themed days such as European Day of Languages and World Book Day.

Faith and service are integrated through named experiences. MiniDASH, linked to the Diocese of Shrewsbury, is described as an opportunity for pupils to reflect on faith and Catholic Social Teaching alongside other diocesan schools. There is also an SVP Group listed within the leadership and volunteering structure, which signals a practical route into charity and community action rather than a purely classroom based model of Catholic life.

For pupils who prefer quieter enrichment, the library is positioned as a working space and is staffed throughout the day. It is described as accommodating around 60 pupils, with opportunities to join the library team as student librarians, plus structured homework support at break, lunch, and after school.

The school publishes a timed day structure for Key Stage 3, with the day beginning at 08:40 and formal lesson periods running through to the end of the afternoon session.

Before school, there is a breakfast window listed within dining arrangements, and the school site is described in its published documentation as opening from 08:00 for supervised breakfast club. Families should confirm current arrangements term by term, particularly if transport schedules depend on early access.

Homework support is available in the library after school, and the published library hours include after school opening until 16:00 each weekday.

• Academic outcomes remain a challenge. The FindMySchool dataset shows an Attainment 8 score of 38 and a Progress 8 score of -0.61. Families should look for evidence that Key Stage 4 curriculum and teaching consistency are improving, because that is where GCSE outcomes are won or lost.

• Expect a structured behaviour and routines approach. Most pupils behave well and routines have been tightened, which suits many children. Pupils who struggle to regulate behaviour may need additional support and consistent home school communication.

• Faith criteria may affect prioritisation. As a Catholic school, admissions can require additional evidence for some categories. Families who are not applying under Catholic criteria should read the oversubscription rules carefully and build a realistic shortlist.

• Demand is meaningful. The latest available admissions data indicates more applications than offers. Planning early and meeting deadlines is essential.

All Saints Catholic College is a school with a clear identity, Catholic values expressed through service, and a strong set of leadership pathways that give pupils meaningful responsibilities. Behaviour, personal development, and safeguarding are the areas that feel most consistently defined. Academic performance is the key issue to weigh, and improvement work needs to show up in Key Stage 4 curriculum quality and classroom consistency.

Who it suits: families who want a faith based school culture, clear routines, and structured personal development opportunities, and who are prepared to engage closely on academic support and progress through Key Stage 4.