St Philip Howard Catholic Voluntary Academy Review 2026: Catholic secondary with strong community focus in Glossop

A smaller secondary where relationships matter, routines are clear, and Catholic life sits naturally alongside mainstream expectations. St Philip Howard Catholic Voluntary Academy is an 11 to 16 state school serving Glossop and surrounding areas, with Year 7 entry coordinated through the local authority and faith-based prioritisation when oversubscribed.

Leadership has recently stabilised. Michael Kays became acting headteacher in September 2023 and was later appointed headteacher permanently, following the departure of Louisa Morris.

The latest Ofsted inspection (5 and 6 October 2021) rated the school Good overall, with Good judgements across quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.

This is a school that frames success as more than grades, but it does so through structure rather than slogans. The academy’s pastoral model is explicit: students start each day with form time, and routines include a daily uniform and equipment check, alongside collective worship as part of the morning rhythm.

Faith is present in an everyday, school-wide way rather than as an add-on. The prospectus sets out daily collective worship (in forms or assemblies), with Mass and liturgies across the year. For Catholic families, that continuity can feel reassuring. For non-Catholic families, the key question is comfort with a setting where worship and Catholic teaching are integral to normal school life.

A notable feature is the house structure, which gives students a ready-made identity beyond their tutor group. Houses are listed as Campion, Clitheroe, Fisher, and Southwell, and house points feed into inter-house events across the year. In practical terms, this tends to support belonging, healthy competition, and visibility for students whose strengths show up outside exams.

On headline performance measures, St Philip Howard sits around the middle of the England distribution for secondary schools. Ranked 2,723rd in England and 1st in Glossop for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), it aligns with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). This is solid rather than selective, with the local rank suggesting it compares well in its immediate area.

At GCSE level, the school’s average Attainment 8 score is 43.8. Progress measures are more encouraging, with a Progress 8 score of 0.22, which indicates students make above-average progress from their starting points. That combination usually points to a school doing a respectable job of improving outcomes for a comprehensive intake, even if top-end headline grades are not the dominant story.

EBacc measures look more mixed. The average EBacc APS is 3.6, compared with an England average of 4.08. Only 6.3% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above across EBacc subjects. For families who strongly prioritise an academic EBacc pathway, it is worth digging into subject uptake, option guidance in Year 9, and how the school supports students to keep languages and humanities open.

(Performance measures and ranks above reflect FindMySchool calculations from official datasets and should be read alongside the school’s curriculum and option choices.)

Curriculum breadth is clearly signposted. At Key Stage 3, students study a wide range including English, maths, science, religious education, computing, history, geography, languages, and a strong practical and creative mix such as drama, music, art, and design technology.

Key Stage 4 is built around a common core, with religious education taught through to Year 11 and leading to a GCSE in the subject. Alongside English, maths, and combined or triple science, students select options from a published list that includes humanities, languages, and practical subjects, plus vocational routes such as BTEC courses (the prospectus cites Sport and Health and Social Care as examples). This matters for fit: students who learn best through applied coursework and structured practical work may find the blend of GCSE and vocational options a positive feature.

A practical point for parents is the school’s explicit use of monitoring and reporting. The prospectus describes three formal progress updates per year at Key Stage 3, and three per year at Key Stage 4, supported by scheduled parent evenings. In day-to-day terms, that tends to reduce surprises and helps families intervene earlier if a student starts to drift.

As an 11 to 16 school, St Philip Howard’s destination story is primarily about post-16 readiness rather than sixth form outcomes. Careers education is described as well developed in the most recent inspection evidence, with technical and apprenticeship routes included through the Baker Clause requirements. Students and families considering vocational routes should ask how employer engagement, taster sessions, and work experience are scheduled now, as work experience was noted as limited in the period around the last inspection.

In practice, most students will move on to local sixth forms or further education colleges, with a smaller group exploring apprenticeships or work-based training. The best indicator of fit is to look closely at Key Stage 4 pathways: whether students are guided towards the combination of subjects that keeps their preferred post-16 route realistic, and whether intervention is early enough to prevent course choices being constrained by weaker literacy or numeracy.

Admissions sit within a Catholic trust structure, but the application route is straightforward: Derbyshire families apply via the local authority’s coordinated process, using the Common Application Form. For entry in September 2026, Derbyshire’s published window runs from 8 September 2025 to 31 October 2025, with offers released on 2 March 2026.

Where this school differs from many local alternatives is the role of faith criteria when oversubscribed. The St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust’s determined admissions policy for 2026 to 2027 states that applicants seeking priority under faith criteria should also complete a Supplementary Information Form and return it, with supporting evidence, by the national closing date. It also lists partner primary schools for the academy and confirms a Published Admission Number of 118 for Year 7 at the Glossop site.

For in-year moves, the school participates in Derbyshire’s in-year coordinated scheme. The academy’s admissions page states that outcomes are issued in writing within 15 school days of receipt (with an aim of 10 school days), with a right of appeal if refused.

Parents comparing schools can use the FindMySchool Map Search to sanity-check travel practicalities and shortlist alternatives, especially if a move is likely or if you are applying across more than one local authority area.

Pastoral staffing is described in functional terms rather than marketing language. The prospectus lists pastoral managers, a family support manager, a SENCO, and form tutors as the main points of contact, with escalation via heads of year for more serious issues. That layered model is usually helpful in a secondary setting because it makes responsibility clearer, particularly for attendance, behaviour, and safeguarding concerns.

Safeguarding is described as effective in the most recent inspection evidence, including staff training, detailed record keeping, and work with external agencies when students need extra help. The same evidence base highlights awareness education on local risks such as county lines and substance misuse, and an emphasis on mental health awareness and access to trusted adults.

For families, the practical question is not whether pastoral care exists, but how quickly it responds when a student begins to struggle. A useful way to test this at open events or meetings is to ask how form tutors escalate concerns, what “early help” looks like, and how the school supports attendance improvement without resorting immediately to sanction-only approaches.

Extracurricular and wider personal development appear to be a genuine part of planning rather than a list of occasional clubs. The academy frames its wider experience as a “success journey” of milestones, built around clubs, trips, and development opportunities.

For parents trying to understand distinctive opportunities, the clearest school-specific examples are named initiatives and leadership roles. The prospectus references Student Voice, Gratitude Club, Eco Club, Mental Health Ambassadors, and the Justice Club. These are useful indicators because they suggest responsibility opportunities for students who are motivated by service, social action, or wellbeing leadership, not just sport.

Trips and cultural experiences can also shape a student’s sense of ambition. The prospectus lists a mix of local and international visits, including London theatre-linked trips (such as the Globe) and international travel (for example Poland and China are mentioned). The implication is breadth and cultural literacy, provided the programme remains accessible and not overly dependent on optional spending.

This is a state school with no tuition fees.

The published school day starts with arrival and registration at 08:40, with lessons beginning at 09:00 and the final period ending at 15:10. Lunch is timetabled from 13:25 to 14:10. Families should check how extracurricular activities extend the day on particular weekdays, as clubs and intervention sessions can alter collection time.

Entry routines also differ by year group, with different entrances listed for Years 7 to 11, which can help ease congestion at peak times and supports a calmer start for younger students.

• Catholic life is integral. Daily collective worship, Mass, and liturgies are embedded into the normal routine. This suits families who want a clear Catholic setting; families uncomfortable with worship as a daily expectation should weigh fit carefully.

• Faith criteria can matter when oversubscribed. Applicants seeking priority under faith criteria are expected to submit a Supplementary Information Form with supporting evidence by the closing date, alongside the coordinated local authority application. Missing paperwork can affect priority category.

• EBacc outcomes may not match every family’s priorities. EBacc-related measures are comparatively lower, so families seeking a strongly academic language and humanities pathway should ask how option choices and teaching capacity support that route.

• Consistency across subjects is an ongoing focus. The most recent inspection evidence pointed to variation in curriculum delivery in some subjects, so it is sensible to ask what has changed since 2021, particularly around early Key Stage 3 foundations.

St Philip Howard Catholic Voluntary Academy is a grounded, structured Catholic secondary that appears strongest when judged on culture, routines, and above-average progress. It will suit families who want an 11 to 16 setting with clear expectations, a defined faith ethos, and a house and personal development structure that gives students different ways to contribute.

Admission is not about tests, but it can hinge on process and criteria. Families who are comfortable with the Catholic framework and who manage the admissions paperwork carefully are the best match, particularly when demand exceeds places.