St Ursula's Convent School Review 2026: A Catholic Girls' School at a Crossroads

In October 1877, twenty-one sisters from the Ursuline convent at Duderstadt in Germany arrived at 70 Crooms Hill in Greenwich, fleeing religious persecution, and opened their first school with just twenty-five pupils. Nearly 150 years later, their legacy endures in a school that has evolved from private convent boarding establishment to a state-funded comprehensive serving over 630 girls from the local area and beyond. Today, St Ursula's sits beside historic Greenwich Park with fine views across London and the Thames, its Georgian core extended with modern facilities designed to meet twenty-first-century educational needs. The school's Catholic character remains fundamental to its identity; its motto, Serviam (I Shall Serve), reflects the Ursuline commitment to educating young women to fulfil their potential and serve their communities. The current moment brings both challenge and opportunity. In January 2024, Ofsted rated the school as Requiring Improvement after a decade at Outstanding, triggering leadership changes and renewed focus on embedding new systems and supporting pupils with additional needs.

The school occupies a location of genuine distinction. Situated on Crooms Hill, St Ursula's benefits from proximity to Greenwich Park and the Meridian Line, its campus steeped in maritime and astronomical heritage. The original Georgian house remains at the heart of the school, surrounded by purposeful extensions that house modern science laboratories, a design technology unit, drama facilities, and extensive computer suites.

Catholic identity permeates school life. Daily prayer and weekly Masses are central to the rhythm of the school calendar, with regular assemblies built around the Ursuline virtues. The school motto, Serviam, is not mere decoration; it frames a genuine commitment to service and community engagement. For girls from Catholic families, the school offers continuity of faith alongside rigorous education. For non-Catholic families, the lived Catholic ethos is a factor requiring careful consideration during admissions.

The school is led by Mr Mark O'Shaughnessy, who took office as Headteacher in September 2024. He arrives during a stabilisation period following leadership transitions in recent years. The Ofsted inspection in January 2024 acknowledged that recent turbulence in leadership had created difficulties, particularly in special educational needs provision and behaviour policy implementation. The new headship offers the opportunity to embed improvements and rebuild momentum.

GCSE Performance

St Ursula's girls achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 50.9 in 2024, exceeding the England average of 46.0 (FindMySchool data). The school ranks 1,085th for GCSE outcomes, placing it in the top 25% in England and 8th among Greenwich secondary schools (FindMySchool ranking). This positioning as "national strong" reflects consistent solid performance despite the Ofsted rating.

Approximately 70% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and Mathematics, the benchmark for GCSE success, according to external reports. The English Baccalaureate represents a focus area, with 28.7% of pupils achieving grades 5 or above across the core EBacc subjects, compared to the England average of around 40%. This suggests room for growth in encouraging science and language uptake among the cohort.

Progress 8, measuring value-added progress, stood at +0.09 in 2024, indicating broadly average progress from pupils' starting points. For a school serving a diverse community including pupils with additional needs, this figure should be contextualised alongside the challenges Ofsted identified in SEND support.

The 2024 Ofsted inspection identified ambitious curriculum design as a key strength. Teachers hold secure subject knowledge, with professional development opportunities embedded throughout the school year. The curriculum follows the national framework but includes enrichment, particularly within the Humanities specialism where the school has dedicated resources. Girls study separate sciences, with specialist teaching from Year 7. Languages are offered across modern and classical options, with Spanish, French, and German available.

A challenge identified by Ofsted concerns SEND provision. Teachers lack consistent information about pupils' specific needs and barriers to learning, limiting their ability to adapt teaching effectively. Recent leadership changes mean new systems are being implemented to better coordinate SEND support and ensure all staff receive training. The school has appointed dedicated SEND leadership to address this recognised gap.

Behaviour management has also been flagged as an area requiring embedding. A newly introduced behaviour policy with high expectations is not yet consistent across all staff and all times of day, according to inspectors. Some low-level disruption occurs in lessons and during unstructured times. This suggests transition is underway; implementation will be key to measuring improvement.

As a 11-16 school without sixth form provision, all students progress to further education via sixth form colleges or other post-16 institutions. A tradition of strong progression to further study reflects the school's academic culture. Notable alumni include Margaret Moran, a Labour Member of Parliament who served as MP for Luton South, and Adelaide Damoah, an accomplished painter and performance artist. These examples illustrate the school's role in preparing girls for professional and creative futures.

Local progression pathways include Shooters Hill Sixth Form College, which serves much of the Greenwich cohort, and independent sixth form options for those with the means and inclination. The school's position in the top 25% in England for GCSE outcomes suggests most students enter sixth form with solid qualifications.

St Ursula's recognises that education extends far beyond academic study. The school deliberately cultivates a culture of personal development, service, and creative expression through a diverse extracurricular programme.

Sports and Physical Activities

The school's Sports Hall and facilities host multiple teams and clubs. Football Club, Netball Club, Badminton Club, Basketball Club, and Bench Ball Club provide regular competition and skill development. Cheerleading Club offers creative physical expression for those seeking alternatives to traditional sports. These opportunities sit within the broader PE curriculum where all students access core provision.

Creative Arts and Performing Arts

Drama is a significant presence, supported by dedicated drama studios and a Main Hall suitable for productions. Drama Club provides structured opportunity for interested students, whilst the school's history of whole-school productions, including an annual Passion Play reflecting Catholic tradition, offers visibility and prestige. The International Film Club and Anime Club cater to diverse interests in visual storytelling.

Music similarly features prominently. The school's Choir provides structured group singing, whilst the wider music programme spans instrumental tuition in guitar, piano, drums, violin, and voice. The Director of Performing Arts, Mr M Quinn, oversees an integrated approach to music and drama. Much-anticipated annual musicals showcase student talent and creative potential.

Academic Enrichment and STEM

Coding Club introduces computational thinking and programming to interested students. Creative Writer's Club provides a space for literary expression beyond the English curriculum. Debating Club hones argumentation and public speaking skills, particularly valuable for students developing academic confidence and articulate expression.

Leadership, Service, and Wellbeing

Junior Leadership Team, Student Council, and House Captains structures develop leadership capabilities, with students taking genuine responsibility for school life. The Chaplaincy provides pastoral and spiritual support, offering students a trusted adult relationship centred on reflection and guidance. Duke of Edinburgh Award provision, available to interested students, combines outdoor challenge with personal development through structured expedition and skill-building programmes.

The school's enrichment offer extends beyond after-school clubs. Residential trips provide cultural immersion and independence-building experiences. Guest speakers and workshops from industry professionals and subject experts bring external expertise into the curriculum. Career Days introduce post-16 and career pathways through conversations with professionals from diverse fields, supporting informed choices about future direction.

This breadth of opportunity reflects the school's commitment to educating "whole persons" in the Ursuline tradition, developing academic knowledge alongside creativity, resilience, leadership, and service.

Mr Mark O'Shaughnessy's appointment as Headteacher in September 2024 marks an important moment of stability. His task encompasses embedding the new behaviour policy, improving SEND provision, and rebuilding confidence following a period of transition. Subject leadership spans experienced practitioners: Mr A Mills leads History with emphasis on critical thinking and historical enquiry; Mr M Quinn oversees Performing Arts with responsibility for music and drama provision.

The school values professional development, with staff given opportunities to engage in continuous improvement. This commitment to staff quality is particularly important as new systems are embedded.

St Ursula's admits pupils to Year 7 with an agreed admission number of 135 places, distributed across multiple forms. The school is voluntary aided and significantly oversubscribed, with applications regularly exceeding four times the number of places available in recent years. This high demand reflects the school's historical reputation and appeal.

Admission is coordinated through Greenwich Local Authority's standard process. A Supplementary Form regarding religious practice is required as part of the application, reflecting the school's Catholic character. Families of the Catholic faith are expected to demonstrate commitment through a Certificate of Catholic Practice, though the school states it welcomes families from varied religious backgrounds.

The main application deadline for Year 7 entry is typically 31 October for admission in September of that year. Families should note the oversubscription ratio when considering the likelihood of securing a place, particularly if living at distance from Crooms Hill.

The campus includes dedicated spaces for specialised learning: science laboratories with modern equipment support practical investigation; the design technology unit enables hands-on creation and problem-solving; drama studios provide space for rehearsal and performance; computer suites support coding and digital literacy; music studios enable instrumental practice and recording.

The Sports Hall, suitable for basketball, badminton, and other indoor sports, complements outdoor facilities. The Main Hall serves assemblies, performances, and large gatherings. Dining facilities ensure students can eat healthily during the school day.

The school day runs from morning registration through to afternoon dismissal, with a structured timetable. Break and lunch periods provide unstructured time during which low-level behaviour issues have occasionally occurred according to inspection findings; improved supervision and consistent policy implementation may help address this.

Transport links are good. Greenwich Station is the nearest railway, with local bus connections serving multiple routes into the area. Crooms Hill itself is a relatively quiet residential street, though parking can be challenging during peak drop-off and collection times.

The inspection confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective, with clear reporting procedures and increased access to trusted staff members. This provides reassurance for families regarding child safety and protection.

Emotional wellbeing support is available through school counselling. The school holds the Wellbeing Award for Schools, reflecting commitment to pupil mental health. The Chaplaincy provides additional pastoral support anchored in the school's faith context, offering girls a spiritual and emotional resource.

Recent leadership transition. The school is in a period of stabilisation following Ofsted Requires Improvement rating and staff changes in 2023-24. Whilst new leadership brings fresh energy and renewed focus on improvement, the school is not at maximum stability. Families should be satisfied that the new headship has the capacity and expertise to address identified concerns around SEND provision and behaviour policy embedding.

SEND support inconsistency. Ofsted found that SEND provision lacks consistency; teachers need better information and training. For families with children requiring additional academic or pastoral support, this is an important consideration. The school has recognised the need for improvement and is implementing new systems, but ask specific questions during a visit about how your child's particular needs would be supported.

Oversubscription and distance. With applications regularly four times oversubscribed, securing a place requires luck as well as proximity to the school. If the school is a preferred choice, have a fallback option in mind and consider distance when assessing likelihood of entry.

Catholic character requires genuine commitment. For non-Catholic families, the pervasive Catholic ethos (daily prayer, regular Masses, explicit religious teaching) is a feature requiring acceptance. If your family is secular or of a different faith, ensure you understand what this environment means for your daughter's daily school experience.

St Ursula's Convent School is a school in transition. Its historical reputation for excellence is recent and genuine: only nine years ago, Ofsted rated it Outstanding. The current Requires Improvement rating reflects genuine challenges around SEND support and behaviour consistency, not a collapse of educational quality. Strong GCSE results, a broad curriculum, and diverse extracurricular opportunities remain intact.

The appointment of new leadership provides opportunity for recovery. The ambitious curriculum, experienced teachers, and Catholic community ethos continue to characterise the school. For families within reach of Greenwich who value Catholic education, accept the current stability challenges, and seek solid academics with creative and sporting opportunities, St Ursula's remains worth serious consideration. The school has the foundations upon which to rebuild; new leadership now has the opportunity to prove it.