Ursuline High School Wimbledon Review 2026: Strong Academic Results in a Girls-Only Catholic Community

Founded by four Ursuline nuns in 1892 from Forest Gate, Ursuline High School opened in a modest private house on Worple Road with just three pupils. Over 130 years later, the school has grown into a comprehensive secondary serving approximately 1,390 girls and an additional 600+ sixth form students through a partnership with neighbouring Wimbledon College. It ranks 500th in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in the top 25% nationally and 3rd among Merton schools. As a Catholic voluntary-aided school led since September 2023 by Headteacher Mr Eoin Kelly, Ursuline maintains a strong academic tradition within a community underpinned by its motto Serviam ("I Will Serve").

The school occupies a dual campus spanning Crescent Road and the Downs in Wimbledon, creating a setting that balances historical character with contemporary learning spaces. The architectural identity spans from period buildings to modern extensions, including the recently refurbished St Angela's Centre housing drama, art, and music facilities with an impressive gallery space. Each year is divided into seven tutor groups named after Ursuline saints: Angela, Bernadette, Catherine, Francis, Margaret, Teresa, and Ursula, reflecting the spiritual foundation woven through school life.

Mr Kelly arrived from a London day school headship and has brought a modern perspective to the school's operations. His leadership signalled a commitment to ensuring tradition serves, rather than constrains, educational provision. Staff turnover is reported as low, indicating stability and continuity in relationships between students and their teachers.

The Catholic ethos is authentic and pervasive, but the school explicitly welcomes students and families from other faiths and backgrounds. Sixth formers volunteer at the Christmas tea party for elderly residents from local care homes, and the school actively engages with causes including CAFOD, the Wimbledon Food Bank, and international work through partnerships with schools in Sudan and Cambodia. This emphasis on social justice and service forms a core part of the school's identity.

At GCSE, results reflect sustained academic strength. In 2024, 45% of entries achieved grades 9-7 (the highest grades), and 80% achieved grade 5 or above. The Attainment 8 score of 61.3 places performance well above the England average, with progress scores of +0.87 indicating pupils make significantly more progress than similar students nationally. In 2025, the school reported 43% of grades at level 7 or above (nearly double the national average).

A-Level Performance

At sixth form, A-level results in 2025 show 5% at A* and 22% at grade A, with 55% achieving A*-B. The DfE has rated A-level results as "Above Average" for progress made between GCSE and sixth form, a notable achievement given the school's GCSE top performance. The school ranks 915th in England for sixth form outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in the middle tier nationally. Integration of partnerships with Wimbledon College means students access a broader curriculum with 33 A-level or equivalent courses available across both sites.

The curriculum reflects the school's specialism in Business & Enterprise and Modern Foreign Languages. Setting in core subjects begins at Key Stage 3, with assessed groups that are reviewed half-termly and adjusted as needed. Teaching emphasises close reading, analytical writing, and mathematical rigour. The school recently introduced T Level qualifications in Digital Production, Design, and Development, alongside traditional A-level and BTEC pathways.

A dedicated Learning Resource Centre (LRC) stocks over 12,000 books and serves as both academic support hub and social space. The tablet scheme supports digital learning both at school and at home. Two dedicated drama studios with full lighting facilities, specialist food technology rooms, ICT suites, and newly equipped facilities for T Level provision create a physical environment designed to support the breadth of curriculum offer.

Sixth form leavers pursue diverse routes. In 2024, the school reports strong engagement with university applications, backed by specialist support from Oxbridge Co-ordinators, a Medical Co-ordinator supporting clinical careers, and advisors specialising in Russell Group applications. The "Getting into Medicine Scheme" runs with support from university medical schools and senior clinicians. Engineering careers are prioritised, with students supported for Arkwright scholarships.

A small number of students secure Oxbridge places annually. In the most recent reporting period, one student gained a Cambridge acceptance. Beyond Oxbridge, leavers progress to universities across the UK, with the A-level pathway supporting applications to competitive institutions.

The school maintains strong connections with Wimbledon Bookfest, particularly for students interested in literature and film, and offers extensive field work and cultural trips. Recent sixth form visits have included New Orleans, New York, Dallas, and China.

Extracurricular provision spans multiple disciplines and caters to diverse interests. The school hosts an annual production of significant scale, with recent performances including Hairspray! The Musical. Musical life centres on the St. Cecilia's Concert, an annual celebration of orchestral and chamber music with strong student involvement. A choir sings at school masses and events. The chapel hosts regular liturgies and collective worship, with mass twice weekly and special celebrations for feast days (particularly the Feast of St. Angela).

Music and Performing Arts

Named facilities include the refurbished St Angela's Centre, which houses drama, art, and music rooms alongside an impressive gallery. Music tuition reaches across orchestral, string, brass, and solo instrument areas. Sixth formers have opportunities to lead performances and participate in the student-run dramatic societies and productions.

Societies and Enrichment

The school operates peer mentoring schemes where sixth form students work with younger pupils. Model United Nations engages students in diplomacy simulations. A student council provides leadership experience. Debating and public speaking groups train students for competitions. The Ursuline Links UK volunteer programme, created by the Ursuline Sisters, allows students to contribute locally and internationally through work in soup kitchens, with vulnerable populations, and in construction projects.

Sports Provision

Morley Park Playing Fields, a newly developed facility a short walk from the main campus, opened with football pitches, changing rooms, and indoor space for wet weather activities. The sports hall includes a climbing wall. Outdoor tennis courts complement the indoor facilities. Cricket, rugby, netball, football, hockey, and rounders feature in the PE curriculum and as fixture sports. The sixth form cricket academy offers elite pathway development. Basketball and badminton teams compete at borough and regional levels, with recent silverware in U19 badminton.

Additional Named Clubs and Organisations

The Young Writers Competition engages creative writing across year groups. The Cabrini Society and Youth Awareness Programme offer pastoral and wellbeing support. The Institute of Philanthropy partnership enables Year 8 philanthropy projects. Sixth form leadership development includes perfect (prefect) roles and student leadership training. Cultural societies celebrate heritage and diversity, including celebration days for Polish, Filipino, Caribbean, and other communities. The Gardening Club tends school grounds. Crochet Club and other craft groups foster community. BTEC Business qualifications complement A-level study. Chess club, art societies, and the LRC student leaders forum round out provision.

Entry at Year 7 is through the London-wide coordinated admissions scheme, with approximately 4 applications for every place, making competition significant. The school admits up to 210 students annually at Year 7, alongside those with Education, Health and Care Plans. Catholic pupils receive priority, as the school is a Catholic voluntary-aided institution, but admission welcomes applications from all faiths provided families support the school's religious ethos.

Sixth form entry at Year 12 is non-selective, admitting approximately 180 internal students and around 50 external candidates. GCSE grades in relevant subjects set entry requirements, with aspirational targets of grade 5 in core subjects. The sixth form benefits from a joint campus arrangement with Wimbledon College, creating a co-educational sixth form experience with shared facilities and course choice.

The school day runs 8:50am to 3:20pm. Breakfast club, after-school clubs, and holiday clubs provide wraparound care. The main school canteen serves hot and cold meal options. A secondary canteen operates in the old gym to manage demand during peak times. Two designated playing fields at Morley Park host PE lessons and sporting fixtures. Transport links are excellent, with Wimbledon Station (District Line), Wimbledon Chase, and Raynes Park stations all within walking distance. The Tramlink connects the school to Merton and Croydon.

Each year is split into tutor groups of 6-8, with a dedicated tutor providing academic oversight and pastoral guidance. The school employs qualified mental health specialists and counselling support through the Youth Awareness Programme and the Ursuline Sisters. Bullying incidents are reported as handled effectively by staff. The PSHEC (Personal, Social, Health, Economic and Citizenship) curriculum is well-planned, addressing topics relevant to adolescent lives. Peer mentoring, with sixth form girls paired with younger pupils, creates vertical integration.

The school holds the Inclusion Quality Mark, indicating effective SEN support. The SENDCO leads individualised education planning, and the school collaborates with families and external agencies to support girls with additional needs.

Selective by faith (but welcoming). Catholic pupils have priority for admission. The school explicitly welcomes pupils of other faiths and none, provided families align with the school's religious ethos. Girls who are uncomfortable with daily collective worship, regular masses, and the integration of Catholic teaching should carefully consider fit before applying.

Highly competitive admissions. With over 4 applications per place, entry depends on living within the dynamic catchment area (which varies annually) or having specific admissions priority criteria (siblings, siblings in sixth form, Catholic practice). Families should not assume proximity alone secures a place.

Independent sixth form entry. External candidates enter sixth form alongside internal progressions. This creates mixed-experience cohorts and means entry at 16+ is possible for those not attending the main school. Entry requires meeting subject-specific GCSE thresholds and is subject to availability.

Ursuline High School delivers consistent academic results within a genuinely Catholic community, offering girls a values-driven education rooted in service and spiritual life. GCSE outcomes place the school in the top tier of London's non-selective schools. The dual campus with Wimbledon College provides sixth form breadth. Music, drama, and enrichment programmes are distinctive, and the school's commitment to social justice shapes the culture beyond the classroom.

The school suits girls whose families welcome a Catholic school environment, value community service, and want academic rigour combined with breadth. For Catholic families, the explicit religious ethos and Ursuline charism are central strengths. For other families, sincere engagement with the school's values matters; the school is not a place for those seeking to avoid faith education.

The main barrier to entry is competition for places in this oversubscribed school, making catchment proximity and admissions criteria critical considerations.