St Peter's Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre Review 2026: ROCK values, faith-led secondary in Gloucester

Tu es Petrus (You are Peter). It is an unusual motto for a modern secondary, but it frames the school’s identity clearly: foundation, stability, and a set of expectations that are meant to travel with students long after Year 11. The language of ROCK, Respect, Optimism, Community and Kindness, sits at the centre of daily routines and is reinforced through rewards, service, and student leadership.

This is a large, mixed 11 to 18 academy serving Tuffley and the wider Gloucester area, with a capacity of 1,685. It combines mainstream breadth with visible specialist strands, including an aptitude route for drama, music, and sport at Year 7 entry. Students who enjoy structured routines, faith-informed pastoral care, and a busy extracurricular timetable are likely to find it a good fit. Those seeking a highly academic sixth form experience should look carefully at the post-16 outcomes and course guidance when choosing pathways.

The Catholic character is integrated into the rhythm of the day rather than treated as an optional add-on. Prayer is part of the daily pattern, including the Angelus, and the school’s Key Stage 3 material also highlights form Masses and whole-school Masses, alongside retreats and days of reflection.

Pastoral life has a strong service dimension. The chaplaincy is described as an “open door” presence that supports prayer, worship, retreats, and personal pastoral support, and it is closely connected to the local clergy and the Clifton Diocese. Students who want structured ways to live out faith, through charity outreach and leadership roles, have plenty of routes into that world, including chaplaincy teams and student leadership groups.

Leadership is clearly identified on the school’s own materials. The Principal is Mr Kevin McDermott, and his welcome sets out a coherent narrative that links the motto, the ROCK values, and the expectations placed on students. The page is dated February 2023, which provides useful context for families tracking recent leadership and strategic direction.

The school is ranked 2550th in England and 12th in Gloucester for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This reflects solid performance, in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

At GCSE, the Attainment 8 score is 45.1, and the Progress 8 score is -0.08. Taken together, that points to outcomes that are close to average progress from students’ starting points, with attainment that is reasonable but not at the level of the highest-performing Gloucester options. These numbers matter most for families weighing whether the school’s ethos and pastoral strengths are matched by consistently strong academic outcomes in every subject.

Post-16 results are more of a mixed picture. Ranked 2214th in England and 8th in Gloucester for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the sixth form sits in the lower-performing band in England. The A-level grade profile shows 30.69% of entries at A* to B, compared with an England average of 47.2% for A* to B. That gap suggests that sixth form course choice, entry requirements, and academic support structures should be a central part of any sixth form decision here, particularly for students aiming for the most competitive degree routes.

Two additional academic signals are worth noting because they connect directly to day-to-day experience. First, external evaluation describes a well-structured curriculum in most subjects, with calm classrooms and consistent behaviour systems. Second, the same evaluation highlights that careers education and the sequencing of relationships and sex education were areas for improvement at the time. These points matter because they shape how effectively students are supported in making informed decisions at key transition moments.

A clear theme running through the available evidence is structure. Curriculum design is described as strong in most subjects, with teaching that builds knowledge over time and expects students to apply what they have learned to more complex ideas. In practice, this tends to suit students who like clarity: they understand what a good answer looks like, they can see how topics connect, and they benefit from routines that reduce classroom friction.

The school also publishes examples of subject intent and sequencing that show a deliberate attempt to connect curriculum with wider ethical and social themes. In History, for example, the published curriculum places Catholic Social Teaching alongside topics such as migration, colonialism, and revolutions, aiming to make “faith to life” connections rather than leaving values education to assemblies alone. This can work well for students who learn best when they can connect knowledge to real-world questions, while still needing strong discipline in writing and recall to secure good exam outcomes.

Support for students with additional needs is framed as a whole-school responsibility. The SEN information sets out screening at Year 7, use of plans shared with teaching staff, and a model where most needs are met through classroom adaptation, with targeted interventions when necessary. Specific examples include SNIP literacy groups in Year 7, social communication groups, numeracy support, and time-limited emotional support interventions for students with social, emotional and mental health needs.

For families assessing “what next”, it helps to separate two stories: the sixth form’s published progression patterns and the more selective pathway represented by Oxbridge applications.

For the most recently reported cohort, the destinations data indicates that 38% of leavers progressed to university, 13% entered apprenticeships, 37% went into employment, and 2% went into further education. This suggests a genuinely mixed set of outcomes, with a meaningful apprenticeships route alongside higher education and employment. It can suit students who want practical progression options and would benefit from strong careers guidance and employer engagement as early as Key Stage 4.

Oxbridge is present but small-scale. Across the measurement period, nine applications were made, one offer was secured, and one student accepted a place. In a large school, this is best interpreted as a targeted pathway for a small number of highly academic students rather than a defining feature of the sixth form. For those students, the implication is clear: support exists, but success is likely to depend on individual drive, subject-specific strength, and careful academic mentoring.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through Gloucestershire’s secondary admissions process. For September 2026 intake, the county’s published timeline states that applications opened on 3 September 2025 and closed at midnight on 31 October 2025, with national allocation day on 2 March 2026 and responses due by 16 March 2026. The same timeline notes that late applicants and waiting list requests may be informed by early April 2026.

As a Catholic secondary, the school also runs its own oversubscription criteria and requires supporting evidence for certain categories. The school’s published admissions procedures document is explicit that families must submit a Common Application Form to the local authority and, where relevant, provide additional documentation directly to the school so that the application can be ranked correctly under the published criteria. This is where many families come unstuck, particularly when applying under faith-based categories or aptitude routes.

Demand is consistent, and the school publishes its own annual application totals. For the September 2025 intake cycle, the document records 741 ranked applications against an indicated admission number of 235, which gives a practical sense of competitiveness over time. Similar totals appear across several years, suggesting that securing a place often depends on meeting the correct oversubscription criteria rather than simply “being local”.

The aptitude route is an important distinctive feature. The school consults on increasing the number of places allocated under the “proven aptitude in drama, music and sport” criterion for future years, and it confirms that aptitude testing for September 2026 entry has closed. For families aiming to use this route in future cycles, the lesson is straightforward: start early, read the admissions policy closely, and follow the school’s application instructions precisely.

Behaviour systems are described as a strength, with a calm classroom climate and pupils reporting that bullying is unusual and addressed quickly when raised. That combination tends to matter most in a large school, because consistency reduces the risk of students feeling “lost in the crowd”.

Support structures include both universal routines and targeted help. The SEN information document describes screening at Year 7, individual planning, and a graduated model of classroom support plus interventions, including literacy, numeracy, and social communication work. For students with education, health and care plans, the school describes additional resources such as assistive technology and personalised interventions informed by external professionals.

Faith-informed pastoral support is also visible, especially through chaplaincy. The chaplaincy programme describes spiritual care alongside practical support, with a listening presence and structured opportunities for students to engage with sacraments and ministry training. For some families, that provides reassurance and continuity between home, parish, and school life. For others, it is an ethos fit question that should be explored early.

Extracurricular life is not limited to sport, although sport is prominent. The school’s published clubs timetable includes recreational football across year groups, rugby teams, netball, basketball, and a Junior NBA strand. Facilities referenced in the timetable include the astro or 3G area and the sports hall, which gives a practical sense of how provision is organised during breaks and after school.

Creative and interest-based clubs are also specific rather than generic. Named options include Choir, Music Ensemble, Photography Club, Board Games Club, and Philosophy and Classics Club. There are also lower-key wellbeing and community options such as Craft and Calm and a Lego club, plus a Year 7 Pokemon card trading club. These details matter because they show the school is trying to serve different student types: the performer, the competitor, the quiet hobbyist, and the student who needs a supported space to decompress.

The Green Team is a good example of the school linking values to action. It appears as a named club on the published timetable, and it is also referenced in the Section 48 report as a student group that raises awareness of environmental issues and produces a newsletter. The implication for families is that service and social justice themes are not confined to religious education, they are designed to show up in visible student activity.

The published school day runs on a fortnightly timetable. Registration and study period begins at 09.00, and dismissal is indicated at 15.27, with five lesson periods and two breaks.

Transport is often a deciding factor for Gloucester families. The school publishes information about bus options including contracted services and local bus routes, and it notes that some families may qualify for transport grants where religion or belief is a relevant factor and distance criteria are met. Families should check transport eligibility early, particularly if the school is being pursued for its Catholic character rather than proximity.

Wraparound care is not a standard feature for secondary schools, and specific breakfast or after-school care details are not consistently published in the same way as primary provision. Families who need supervised early drop-off or late pick-up should confirm the current arrangements directly with the school before relying on them.

• Admissions paperwork is not optional. A Catholic oversubscription model often requires supporting evidence and, where relevant, aptitude forms. Missing documentation can affect how an application is ranked.

• Careers guidance needed strengthening at the last full evaluation point. Careers and post-16 guidance was highlighted as an area where students were not consistently receiving enough information to make well-informed decisions. Ask specifically how this has been developed since 2022, particularly for apprenticeships and technical routes as well as A-level progression.

• Sixth form outcomes are below England averages on the available data. The A-level ranking and grade profile suggest that students aiming for high-tariff degrees should scrutinise entry requirements, subject combinations, and academic support carefully.

• Religious education time allocation and monitoring were flagged for improvement in 2025. The Section 48 report notes areas where curriculum time allocation and monitoring needed to be strengthened. Families for whom Catholic education is the central reason for choosing the school should read that report closely and ask what has changed.

St Peter’s Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre is a faith-led, large-scale secondary where community routines, behaviour systems, and values education are designed to be visible in daily life. Its strongest fit is for families who want a Catholic ethos that goes beyond assemblies, with chaplaincy, service, and a structured approach to student conduct and belonging.

Who it suits: students who respond well to clear expectations, value a community-centred culture, and want varied extracurricular routes including sport, music, and service. The main decision points are admissions criteria and sixth form outcomes, so families should use FindMySchool’s Map Search and Saved Schools tools to shortlist realistically, then focus their school visit questions on course guidance, careers support, and post-16 achievement patterns.