St Matthew Academy
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St Matthew Academy is a sponsored academy in London for boys and girls aged 4 to 16. It has 1,063 pupils and room for 1,650. About 34 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit more than at most schools. We give it 85 out of 100. That puts it well above schools like it, ahead of 97% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.
St Joseph's Vale, Blackheath, London, SE3 0XX020 8853 6250stmatthewacademy.co.ukMr James Potter principalAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 11 March 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.
Results
GCSE results, summer 2025
172 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.
All GCSE measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 | Lewisham | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 172 | 171 | 142 | 111 | 149 | 130 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 47.2 | 50.1 | 48.7 | 47.8 | 48.5 | 48.0 | 47.7 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | +0.57 | +0.35 | +0.26 | +0.51 | +0.31 | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 40% | 56% | 54% | 47% | 48% | 52% | 46% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 59% | 73% | 69% | 70% | 68% | 72% | 64% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 4.49 | 4.72 | 4.43 | 4.57 | 4.25 | 4.13 | 4.39 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 73% | 70% | 65% | 70% | 43% | 32% | 56% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged | 43.1 | 45.7 | 45.5 | 43.5 | 44.9 | 46.1 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged | 50.4 | 52.4 | 50.8 | 50.8 | 53.0 | 49.2 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | 32.1 | 35.7 | 34.0 | 36.3 | 35.2 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers | – | 72.2 | 65.6 | 65.5 | 58.2 | 55.8 | – | – |
Subjects
Results came out for 20 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.
Strongest subjects
Subjects that did worse than the England average: Art and Design (15% here, 58% across England), Food Preparation & Nutrition (9% here, 52% across England), Physical Education (22% here, 56% across England), English Language (43% here, 54% across England).
The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.
Every subject against England, 2025
| Subject | Entries | Grades 9 to 7 | Grades 9 to 5 | Grades 9 to 4 | England 9 to 5 | Rank in England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 172 | 21% | 45% | 62% | 53% | 2,093 of 3,211 |
| English Literature | 172 | 15% | 57% | 76% | 58% | 1,491 of 3,202 |
| English Language | 172 | 13% | 43% | 67% | 54% | 2,355 of 3,210 |
| Religious Studies | 166 | 22% | 57% | 63% | 60% | 1,114 of 1,825 |
| Combined Science | 150 | 9% | 39% | 61% | 36% | 1,174 of 3,084 |
| Spanish | 123 | 24% | 58% | 74% | 54% | 886 of 1,941 |
| Geography | 101 | 12% | 41% | 57% | 51% | 2,088 of 3,116 |
| History | 66 | 17% | 52% | 65% | 52% | 1,491 of 3,126 |
| Physical Education | 36 | 6% | 22% | 50% | 56% | 1,437 of 1,559 |
| Business | 36 | 31% | 67% | 75% | 51% | 357 of 1,806 |
| Art and Design | 34 | 3% | 15% | 38% | 58% | 2,752 of 2,818 |
| Computer Science | 25 | 44% | 80% | 96% | 56% | 290 of 1,861 |
| Chemistry | 22 | 59% | 100% | 100% | 81% | 319 of 2,537 |
| Food Preparation & Nutrition | 22 | 0% | 9% | 23% | 52% | 1,078 of 1,098 |
| Physics | 22 | 50% | 100% | 100% | 82% | 341 of 2,546 |
| Biology | 22 | 68% | 100% | 100% | 82% | 184 of 2,570 |
| Film Studies | 19 | 26% | 68% | 84% | 52% | – |
| Design & Technology | 11 | 9% | 18% | 18% | 50% | – |
| French | 9 | 89% | 100% | 100% | 60% | – |
| Other Sciences | 6 | 33% | 83% | 100% | 67% | – |
In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
24 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Lewisham | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 24 | 30 | 27 | 47 | 50 | 55 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 83% | 77% | 67% | 62% | 68% | 35% | 69% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 13% | 13% | 7% | 13% | 0% | 4% | 10% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 104.0 | 106.0 | 105.0 | 101.0 | 105.0 | 100.0 | 106.4 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 107.0 | 107.0 | 106.0 | 104.0 | 102.0 | 99.0 | 105.5 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 103.0 | 106.0 | 106.0 | 103.0 | 105.0 | 103.0 | 106.0 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 83% | 80% | 70% | 64% | 76% | 55% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 88% | 90% | 85% | 70% | 70% | 47% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 88% | 83% | 78% | 81% | 68% | 67% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +0.6 | +0.2 | +1.8 | -2.9 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | +3.0 | +2.6 | +0.7 | -4.7 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 80% | 64% | 63% | 57% | 65% | 22% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 86% | 88% | 75% | 71% | 74% | 52% | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
Does every child do well here?
A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 4 of the 7 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.
At GCSE, 2025
At the end of primary school, 2025
Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.
Getting a place
Open to all. There is no entrance test. As a Roman Catholic school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.
259 places were empty (20% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have grown by 6% since 2021/22.
Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Lewisham council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 20.7 pupils (England 26.2); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 29.0 (England 28.2).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (66), Specific learning difficulty (46), emotional and mental health (39), Autistic spectrum disorder (23), Moderate learning difficulty (7), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (2).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 1,063 | 1,065 | 1,066 | 1,052 | 1,006 | 1,018 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 34% | 35% | 35% | 36% | 33% | 30% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 26% | 28% | 29% | 30% | 28% | 33% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 16% | 14% | 13% | 13% | 12% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.3% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 5.7% | 6.3% | 6.8% | 5.9% | 6.7% | 4.8% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.6% | 2.5% | 4.1% | 2.7% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 3.0% | 3.6% | 4.3% | 3.3% | 2.6% | 2.1% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 16.5% | 16.4% | 21.6% | 17.8% | 19.5% | 11.3% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 13.3 | 13.4 | 15.4 | 16.3 | 11.2 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | – | – |
What pupils do next
After GCSEs
Where the 142 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 89%, compared with 96% for everyone else.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 94% | 96% | 96% | 96% |
| Education | 92% | 92% | 94% | 94% |
| Apprenticeship | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Work | 1% | 4% | 1% | 0% |
| Not in education, work or training | 4% | 4% | 3% | 2% |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christ The King Sixth Form College | Further education | 200 m | – | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| John Ball Primary School | Council | 420 m | 672 | Outstanding 2024 | 90 | Compare |
| St Margaret's Lee CofE Primary School | Church of England | 620 m | 206 | Outstanding 2024 | 95 | Compare |
| All Saints' Church of England Primary School Blackheath | Church of England | 630 m | 189 | Good 2019 | 73 | Compare |
| In Toto Ed London | Independent | 690 m | – | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| Heath House Preparatory School | Independent | 730 m | 105 | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| St Saviour's Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 850 m | 188 | No overall grade 2025 | 39 | Compare |
| Urban Mission School | Independent | 0.6 miles | 14 | Not inspected | – | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares St Matthew Academy with the 38 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 38 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher
Of those 38 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than St Matthew Academy, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St George's Catholic School | Academy | 9.4 miles | 1,170 | No overall grade 2025 | 91 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 85 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 85% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 80 to 89. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 20% | in line | +0.01 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 172 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | well above | +0.34 | Ofsted grade, 1.5 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | above | +0.16 | DfE progress measure; 172 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | above | +0.07 | results and attendance rising year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | above | +0.08 | 2024/25; 1,100 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | above | +0.06 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 172 pupils |
| What pupils do next | 5% | above | +0.02 | 142 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is St Matthew Academy a good school?
Yes, going by the figures. St Matthew Academy scores 85 out of 100. That is well above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 97% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 80 to 89, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is St Matthew Academy's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated St Matthew Academy not judged at its last full inspection on 11 March 2025.
How good are St Matthew Academy's GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 40% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 47.2, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished most of a grade ahead of children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How good are St Matthew Academy's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 83% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 13% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does St Matthew Academy have?
1,063 pupils aged 4 to 16 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 1,650 places, so it is 64% full.
Is St Matthew Academy oversubscribed?
Probably not. 259 places were empty in 2024/25 (20% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at St Matthew Academy?
Pupils were in school 94.3% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 16% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at St Matthew Academy?
The average class had 24.2 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 7% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
Does St Matthew Academy have a sixth form?
No. Pupils leave after Year 11 for a sixth form elsewhere, a college or an apprenticeship; 94% of 2022/23 leavers were still in education, work or training six months on.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- St Joseph's Vale, Blackheath, London, SE3 0XX
- Telephone
- 020 8853 6250
- Website
- www.stmatthewacademy.co.uk
- Principal
- Mr James Potter
- Type of school
- Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
- Phase
- All-through school, ages 4-16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic, Archdiocese of Southwark
- Multi-academy trust
- St Benedict Catholic Academy Trust (10 schools)
- Local authority
- Lewisham
- Ward
- Blackheath
- Constituency
- Lewisham North
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 September 2007 (new provision)
- URN
- 135264 · LAESTAB 2096907 · UKPRN 10021091
- Formerly
- Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, St Joseph's Academy
Recent changes
- New KS4 results for 2024/25
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- GCSE results: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25 final.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.