School WiselyBeta

Finchley Catholic High School[1]

Secondary · ages 11–18

Open in the map

Headline results

Attainment 8
A8 60 59.5 2025/26[2]
A-level average grade
AL B- B- 2024/25[3]

Results

GCSE (key stage 4)

Attainment 8
59.5 2025/26[2]
Grade 5+ in English & maths
69.5% 2025/26[2]
Grade 7+ in English & maths
24.1% 2025/26[2]
Progress 8
+0.94 2023/24[4]
Progress 8, 2025/26
Not calculated[5]
Progress 8, 2024/25
Not calculated[5]
Earlier years
Year Attainment 8 Grade 5+ in English & maths Grade 7+ in English & maths Progress 8
2024/25 62.3[6] 78.6%[6]
2023/24 63.2[4] 77.4%[4] +0.94[4]
2022/23 62.2[7] 76%[7] +1.17[7]
2021/22 64.1[8] 79%[8] +0.70[8]

A level (16–18)

A-level average grade
B- 2024/25[3]
AAB or better, at least two in facilitating subjects
13.2% 2024/25[3]
All results, 2020/21
Not published (exams cancelled, COVID-19)[9]
All results, 2019/20
Not published (exams cancelled, COVID-19)[9]
Earlier years
Year A-level average grade AAB or better, at least two in facilitating subjects
2023/24 C+[10] 4.9%[10]
2022/23 B-[11] 13.2%[11]
2021/22 B[12] 18.8%[12]
2018/19 C+[13] 10.4%[13]

Destinations after GCSEs

Sustained education, apprenticeship or employment
95% 2022/23[14]
School sixth form
68% 2022/23[14]
Sixth-form college
11% 2022/23[14]
Further education college
14% 2022/23[14]
Apprenticeship
1% 2022/23[14]
Employment
0% 2022/23[14]
Earlier leavers
Left in Sustained education, apprenticeship or employment School sixth form Sixth-form college Further education college Apprenticeship Employment
2021/22 98%[15] 73%[15] 10%[15] 12%[15] 2%[15] 0%[15]
2020/21 99%[16] 74%[16] 2%[16] 20%[16] 2%[16] 0%[16]
2019/20 99%[17] 81%[17] 5%[17] 11%[17] 0%[17] 0%[17]
2018/19 99%[18] 76%[18] 2%[18] 16%[18] 2%[18] 1%[18]

Destinations after 16–18 study

Sustained education, apprenticeship or employment
89% 2022/23[19]
UK higher education
62% 2022/23[19]
Education
64% 2022/23[19]
Apprenticeship
6% 2022/23[19]
Employment
20% 2022/23[19]
Earlier leavers
Left in Sustained education, apprenticeship or employment UK higher education Education Apprenticeship Employment
2021/22 90%[20] 65%[20] 67%[20] 6%[20] 16%[20]
2020/21 91%[21] 69%[21] 72%[21] 4%[21] 15%[21]
2019/20 90%[22] 70%[22] 75%[22] 4%[22] 11%[22]
2018/19 87%[23] 65%[23] 73%[23] 2%[23] 12%[23]

Higher education after 16–18 study

Progressed to higher education
76% 2021/22[24]
Top third of most selective universities
38% 2021/22[24]
Russell Group universities
33% 2019/20[25]
Oxford or Cambridge
2% 2019/20[25]
Earlier leavers
Left in Progressed to higher education Top third of most selective universities Russell Group universities Oxford or Cambridge
2020/21 83%[26] 45%[26]
2019/20 82%[25] 38%[25] 33%[25] 2%[25]
2018/19 84%[27] 37%[27] 32%[27] 0%[27]
2017/18 85%[28] 28%[28] 24%[28] 0%[28]

Shares of the pupils who left in the year shown. Russell Group and Oxford or Cambridge figures were published for leavers up to 2019/20 only.

Ofsted

Latest inspection
26 Sep 2023[29]
Type
Section 8 inspection of good and outstanding schools[29]
Report published
20 Dec 2023[29]
Safeguarding is effective
Yes[29]
Outcomes for ungraded and monitoring inspections
School remains Good[29]
Earlier inspections
InspectionTypeOverall
14 Mar 2018[30] Maintained Academy and School Short inspection[30] No overall grade[30]

Competition to get in

Applications and offers, Year 7

Applications per place
2.4 Entry Sept 2026[31]
Applications (any preference)
439 Entry Sept 2026[31]
First preferences
169 Entry Sept 2026[31]
Places offered
180 Entry Sept 2026[31]
First preferences per place
0.9 Entry Sept 2026[31]
Earlier years
Entry Applications First preferences Places offered Per place First preferences per place
Entry Sept 2025 441[31] 156[31] 180[31] 2.5[31] 0.9[31]
Entry Sept 2024 383[31] 144[31] 179[31] 2.1[31] 0.8[31]
Entry Sept 2023 378[31] 162[31] 176[31] 2.1[31] 0.9[31]
Entry Sept 2022 406[31] 154[31] 174[31] 2.3[31] 0.9[31]

Admissions

Application deadline
31 Oct 2026 Entry Sept 2027[32]
Places (published admission number)
180 Entry Sept 2027[32]
Sibling priority
Applications for siblings of current or former pupils will be awarded priority within each category so that the application will be placed at the top of the category in which the application is made after children in (i) above. 2026-10-14[32]

Character & practicalities

Type
Voluntary aided school[1]
Ages
11–18[1]
Boys / girls
Boys[1]
Faith
Roman Catholic[1]
Admissions
Non-selective[1]
Sixth form
Yes[1]
Boarding
No boarders[1]
Capacity
1200[1]
Local authority
Barnet[1]
Website
www.finchleycatholic.org.uk[1]
District
Barnet[33]
Postcode
N12 8TA[1]
URN
101362[1]

School details as recorded in Get Information About Schools on 14 Oct 2026.

Pupils

Number on roll
1192 2024/25[34]
English as an additional language
22.8% 2024/25[34]
SEN support
8.3% 2024/25[34]
EHC plan
2.8% 2024/25[34]
Free school meals in the last 6 years
17% 2024/25[34]

Pupils' ethnicity 2025/26

White
66.6%[35]
Mixed
11.3%[35]
Asian
8.1%[35]
Black
10.1%[35]
Any other ethnic group
2%[35]
Unclassified
2%[35]

The school census's major ethnic groups as shares of the school's pupils, summed by us from the published counts. For information only: never used to rank, filter or colour schools.

In the inspectors' and the school's words

Academic
The school has high expectations of pupils’ academic achievements and their attitudes towards others.[36]
Warmth
This school is a happy and welcoming place to be.[36]
Pastoral care
Beth, the therapy dog, provides support to improve pupils’ mental health.[36]
Behaviour
Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are a strength. All this enables pupils’ learning to proceed uninterrupted and without distraction.[36]
Learning support
The school has well-established systems in place to identify and support pupils with SEND. Usually, teachers adapt teaching and resources so that pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers.[36]
Enrichment
‘Lab rats’ science club, modern foreign languages food club and chess club are popular.[36]
Structure
Leaders have established strong routines that are understood and followed throughout the school. Leaders make clear their high expectations of pupils’ behaviour.[36]
Visual arts
In art, for example, pupils in Year 7 confidently analyse colour used in stained glass windows[36]

Sources

  1. Department for Education: Get Information About Schools: all establishments. Period 2026-10-14, published 2026-10-14. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  2. Department for Education: Performance tables schools data (explore education statistics). Period 2025/26, provisional, published 2026-10-15. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  3. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS5 (16-18) final. Period 2024/25, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  4. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 final. Period 2023/24, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  5. Department for Education: Key stage 4 performance 2024/25: data guidance. Period 2024/25. Archived copy; original. Licence: OGL-3.0.
    Quote
    It is not possible to calculate Progress 8 for academic years 2024/25 and 2025/26 due to gaps in the baseline caused by COVID-19 disruption.
  6. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 final. Period 2024/25, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  7. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 final. Period 2022/23, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  8. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 final. Period 2021/22, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  9. Department for Education: A level and other 16 to 18 results 2020/21. Period 2020/21. Archived copy; original. Licence: OGL-3.0.
    Quote
    Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the summer exam series was cancelled in both 2020 and 2021, and alternative processes were set up to award grades.
  10. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS5 (16-18) final. Period 2023/24, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  11. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS5 (16-18) final. Period 2022/23, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  12. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS5 (16-18) final. Period 2021/22, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  13. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS5 (16-18) final. Period 2018/19, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  14. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 destinations. Period 2022/23, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  15. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 destinations. Period 2021/22, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  16. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 destinations. Period 2020/21, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  17. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 destinations. Period 2019/20, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  18. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 destinations. Period 2018/19, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  19. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 destinations. Period 2022/23, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  20. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 destinations. Period 2021/22, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  21. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 destinations. Period 2020/21, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  22. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 destinations. Period 2019/20, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  23. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 destinations. Period 2018/19, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  24. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 progression to higher education. Period 2021/22, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  25. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 progression to higher education. Period 2019/20, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  26. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 progression to higher education. Period 2020/21, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  27. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 progression to higher education. Period 2018/19, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  28. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 progression to higher education. Period 2017/18, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  29. Ofsted: State-funded schools inspections and outcomes. Period 2023/24. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  30. Ofsted: State-funded schools inspections and outcomes. Period 2017/18. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  31. Department for Education: Primary and secondary school applications and offers: school level. Period Entry Sept 2026, final, published 2026-06-29. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  32. finchley.reactfiles.co.uk: finchley.reactfiles.co.uk — FCHS Admissions Policy 2027-2028 updated 2 (PDF). Period 2026-10-14. Licence: copyright-quoted.
    Quotes (3)
    The local authority's Common Application Form (CAF) must also be completed by Sunday 31 October 2026. (p. 4)
    The number of intended admissions for September 2028 is 180 which is our Published Admission Number (PAN). (p. 3)
    Applications for siblings of current or former pupils will be awarded priority within each category so that the application will be placed at the top of the category in which the application is made after children in (i) above. (p. 5)
  33. Office for National Statistics: Parish to Ward to Local Authority District (May 2026) Lookup in EW. Period 2026-05-01. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  34. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: School census. Period 2024/25, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  35. Department for Education: Schools, pupils and their characteristics: school level underlying data. Period 2025/26, published 2026-06-04. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  36. files.ofsted.gov.uk: files.ofsted.gov.uk document. Period 2026-10-14. Licence: OGL-3.0.
    Quotes (11)
    This school is a happy and welcoming place to be (p. 1)
    The school has high expectations of pupils' academic achievements and their attitudes towards others (p. 1)
    Beth, the therapy dog, provides support to improve pupils' mental health (p. 1)
    Pupils' behaviour and attitudes are a strength (p. 1)
    All this enables pupils' learning to proceed uninterrupted and without distraction (p. 2)
    Leaders have established strong routines that are understood and followed throughout the school (p. 1)
    Leaders make clear their high expectations of pupils' behaviour (p. 2)
    'Lab rats' science club, modern foreign languages food club and chess club are popular (p. 1)
    In art, for example, pupils in Year 7 confidently analyse colour used in stained glass windows (p. 1)
    The school has well-established systems in place to identify and support pupils with SEND (p. 2)
    Usually, teachers adapt teaching and resources so that pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers (p. 2)