St Matthew Academy Review 2026: All-through Catholic education in Lewisham, with strong outcomes at Key Stage 2 and GCSE

An all-through school changes the family experience in a way few other structures can, it removes the Year 6 cliff edge and replaces it with planned continuity. Here, pupils can start in Reception and move through to Year 11 on the same site, with automatic transfer from Year 6 into Year 7 for those already on roll.

The academy frames its ethos through the motto Let Your Light Shine (a Matthew 5:15–16 reference), with a stated focus on an inclusive Catholic community, ambition, and service. That language is repeated across its values and Catholic life material, and it is reinforced through chaplaincy structures that include pupil leadership roles such as the Light Bearers, who help plan and deliver key celebrations and prayer services across the year.

Leadership has recently changed. The current headteacher is Mr James Potter, and he was formally welcomed as the new head teacher in October 2024.

The clearest differentiator is the combination of Catholic identity with an explicit message that families of other faiths, and of no faith, are welcome. The school’s own explanation of Catholic life puts emphasis on Gospel values, chaplaincy, and inclusive, invitational prayer and liturgy practices. For many families, this translates into a calm, values-led tone where service and reflection sit alongside academic ambition. For families who want a school where faith is present but admissions and community are not limited to one background, that positioning matters.

Because this is an all-through setting, culture is also shaped by how younger pupils and older students share a single institutional identity. The website highlights cross-phase access to facilities such as the Forest School, library, sports pitches, and a primary kitchen used for clubs and enrichment. The practical implication is that pupils can see “what’s next” early, and older students can take leadership roles that feel concrete rather than theoretical.

On governance and trust context, the academy sits within St Benedict Catholic Academy Trust. For parents, the immediate relevance is governance, shared standards, and central support functions, rather than a different admissions route. It is still useful context when considering how improvement and consistency are sustained over time.

Primary outcomes are strong on the published measures available. In 2024, 84.33% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared to the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 22.33% achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics, compared to the England average of 8%. Reading and mathematics scaled scores were 106 and 107 respectively, and science expected standard was 87%.

On FindMySchool rankings based on official data, the primary phase is ranked 4,481st in England and 24th in Lewisham. That sits in line with the middle 35% of primary schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), which is consistent with a school that is clearly above average on the headline attainment measures, but operating in a broad distribution nationally. Parents comparing local options should use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool to view these results alongside nearby schools.

At GCSE, the school’s data indicates a strong profile, particularly on progress. Attainment 8 is 50.1 and Progress 8 is +0.57, a level that indicates well-above-average progress from Key Stage 2 starting points. EBacc average point score is 4.72, above the England benchmark shown (4.08), and 28.1% achieved grades 5 or above in the EBacc.

On FindMySchool rankings based on official data, GCSE outcomes are ranked 1,140th in England and 5th in Lewisham. That places the school above England average, within the top 25% of secondary schools in England for this measure.

An important contextual note is that the latest Ofsted inspection, carried out on 11 March 2025, recorded Outstanding judgements across all reported areas. Since September 2024, Ofsted no longer issues an overall effectiveness grade for state-funded schools, so parents should read this as five separate top judgements rather than a single headline label.

The most helpful way to understand teaching here is to look at how the curriculum and pathways are structured across stages, and what is added beyond the standard offer.

In primary, the published curriculum narrative places a particular emphasis on reading and writing structures, including daily reading lessons and explicit instruction in reading comprehension, and a writing model that builds towards an independent final piece after planning, modelling, and editing. For parents, the implication is a systematic approach where pupils are taught the mechanics of success, rather than relying on confidence or home support alone.

In secondary, the options model is designed to keep breadth longer. The school describes a two-phase approach where pupils keep a broad set of subjects through Year 9, alongside some choice, and then narrow into GCSE in a structured way at the end of Year 9. The practical benefit is that students who mature later, or discover strengths in new subjects, are less likely to feel locked into decisions made at 12 or 13.

For high prior attainers, the Grammar+ Pathway is explicitly framed as a stretching programme for Key Stage 3, with entry based on academic indicators including having passed the 11+ or being in the top 10% of the cohort on entry to Year 7. This is not a grammar school, but it signals that the school is trying to meet the needs of very able students without separating the intake by selection at the front door.

For families starting in Reception, the most concrete destination story is internal. Pupils in Year 6 have an automatic right to transfer to Year 7, which removes a major stress point for many households and allows the school to plan transition as an educational programme rather than a marketing exercise.

At the end of Year 11, the school does not publish a single destinations dataset in the information provided here, and there is no sixth form on site. What is available is the school’s careers programme description, which includes structured work experience, employer and mentoring links, and explicit preparation for post-16 choice through talks, taster days, and personal statement support for applications. That matters because in a non sixth-form school, the quality of post-16 guidance is often the difference between students “getting a place somewhere” and students securing a place that fits their attainment and interests.

The alumni material also gives qualitative signals about common local pathways. For example, it references leavers progressing into sixth form and university routes, including a named example of progression through Christ the King Sixth Form College and onward to university study. This is anecdotal rather than statistical, but it shows that post-16 pathways are being actively communicated and celebrated.

Admissions are coordinated through the local authority route. The academy sets an agreed admission number of 30 pupils in Reception and 180 students in Year 7.

Demand indicators suggest competition at both entry points. For Reception entry, there were 33 applications for 16 offers in the measured year, a subscription proportion of 2.06 applications per place. For Year 7 entry, there were 479 applications for 157 offers, a subscription proportion of 3.05 applications per place. Taken together, this points to a school that is not “niche oversubscribed”, but meaningfully in demand, especially at secondary entry.

If distance is part of your planning, treat it as an indicator rather than a promise. In 2024, the last distance offered was 2.292 miles. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place.

For 2026 entry timing, Lewisham’s coordinated admissions dates are clear. For Reception starting September 2026, applications opened on 1 September 2025 and the deadline was 15 January 2026, with offers released on 16 April 2026 and an acceptance deadline of 30 April 2026.

For secondary transfer into Year 7 starting September 2026, Lewisham’s published dates include applications opening on 1 September 2025, a closing date of 31 October 2025, offers on 2 March 2026, and an acceptance deadline of 16 March 2026. The same guidance notes that supplementary information forms for faith criteria or schools that are their own admissions authority must be returned directly to the school by 31 October 2025.

A practical planning note on open events: Lewisham advises that secondary school visits typically run in September and October, with dates subject to change, and families should verify timings directly.

Parents considering the school should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their precise distance against the last distance offered and to sanity-check journey time for daily travel.

The pastoral structure is closely tied to Catholic life and to formal personal development work. The Catholic ethos materials reference chaplaincy, planned liturgy and assemblies across the year, and pupil roles through the Light Bearers, who support spiritual life and service initiatives. For some pupils, the most valuable aspect of this is the sense of belonging created by a shared rhythm and shared language around integrity, courage and service.

In secondary, the school also describes a careers and personal development programme with structured experiences, including a week of work experience, employer engagement, and access to Unifrog for careers information. For parents of Year 9 to Year 11 students, the implication is practical guidance and exposure, not just assemblies or one-off careers days.

Enrichment is positioned as a core part of the pupil experience rather than an optional extra. In primary, the school describes an after-school programme using on-site resources such as the Forest School, library, sports pitches, and a primary kitchen. The implication is that activities are not confined to a single classroom, and pupils can access facilities that many stand-alone primaries cannot offer.

For specific club examples, secondary information is unusually detailed by department. Science runs a weekly Key Stage 3 Science Club for Years 7 and 8, built around practical investigations and scientific debates. Design and Technology offers a Key Stage 3 DT Club on Monday after school. Modern Foreign Languages references a weekly French and Spanish cultural club, with Mandarin offered to Year 7 and Year 8 students through Grammar+ provision. These are the kinds of specifics that tell parents what a pupil’s week can actually look like after 3:05pm.

There are also structured pathways. Grammar+ focuses on stretching high prior attainers in Key Stage 3. Sporting Pathway material references an interview-based scholarship programme in Years 10 and 11, with training elements such as strength and conditioning. Parents should treat that as a targeted route for committed students, rather than a whole-school sports model.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Costs are more likely to be felt through uniform, trips, and optional clubs.

The published school day structure gives clear timings. Primary arrival runs from 8:20am to 8:40am, with the school day finishing at 3:20pm. Secondary arrival runs from 8:00am to 8:35am, and students finish at 3:05pm.

For working families, wraparound care is explicitly described for Reception to Year 6. Breakfast club runs from 7:00am to 8:50am and after-school care runs from 3:20pm to 6:30pm, with session charges of £7 for breakfast club and £15 for after-school care in the published information.

Travel and parking arrangements are not set out in detail in the published material. Families should assume typical London constraints and assess the journey at drop-off and pick-up times before committing, especially if relying on wraparound.

• Competition for places. Demand indicators show oversubscription at both Reception and Year 7 entry, so admissions planning needs realism and backup options.

• Distance variability. In 2024, the last distance offered was 2.292 miles. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place.

• Faith expectations. The school welcomes families of other faiths and of no faith, but Catholic life is active and visible through liturgy, chaplaincy, and service. Families wanting a fully faith-neutral environment may prefer a different setting.

• No on-site sixth form. Post-16 choices sit outside the school, so families should engage early with careers guidance and local sixth form options.

This is a large, mixed all-through Catholic academy where continuity is a real practical advantage, particularly for families who want a stable pathway from Reception into secondary without reapplying at Year 7. Outcomes are strong across phases in the available dataset, and the enrichment offer is well-specified, with identifiable clubs and pathways rather than generic promises. Best suited to families who value values-led education, want the all-through structure, and can plan admissions early in a competitive local context.