Side by side
Sacred Heart Catholic School and South Bank University Academy
The published facts for both schools, each with its source. Where a school or the government has not published something, the cell says so. We do not name a winner.
What differs
- Sacred Heart Catholic School takes ages 11 to 18; South Bank University Academy takes ages 11 to 19.
- Sacred Heart Catholic School has 950 pupils; South Bank University Academy has 405.
- The two schools are 1 mile apart in a straight line.
Facts side by side
| Fact | Sacred Heart Catholic School | South Bank University Academy |
|---|---|---|
| The basics | ||
| Type | State-funded: Academy converter DfE register | State-funded: Academy sponsor led DfE register |
| Ages | 11 to 18 DfE register | 11 to 19 DfE register |
| Gender | Mixed DfE register | Mixed DfE register |
| Pupils | 950 DfE register | 405 DfE register |
| Religious character | Roman Catholic DfE register | Not published |
| Borough | Southwark DfE register | Southwark DfE register |
| Boarding | No DfE register | No DfE register |
| Admissions policy | Non-selective DfE register | Not published |
| Admissions for 2027 | ||
| Next deadline to apply or register | 31 October 2026 (closes in 21 days) school or council page | 31 October 2026 (closes in 21 days) school or council page |
| Applications and places, last round | 238 first preferences for 115 places DfE, September 2026 entry | 15 first preferences for 26 places DfE, September 2025 entry |
| Cost | ||
| Published day fees | No tuition fees (state-funded) | No tuition fees (state-funded) |
| Inspection | ||
| Latest inspection | Ofsted graded inspection, 8 November 2023: Outstanding at that inspection Ofsted | Ofsted report card, 6 May 2026 Ofsted |
| Results | ||
| GCSE: Attainment 8 | 58 (2024/25) DfE | 41.5 (2024/25) DfE |
| GCSE: grade 5+ in English and maths | 70% (2024/25) DfE | 38% (2024/25) DfE |
| A level: average grade | B- (2024/25) DfE | D+ (2024/25) DfE |
| A level: points per entry | 36.7 (2024/25) DfE | 24.5 (2024/25) DfE |
| Where leavers went | ||
| Stayed in education or work after GCSEs | 98% (left 2022/23) DfE | 85% (left 2022/23) DfE |
| Stayed in education or work after 16 to 18 | 97% (left 2022/23) DfE | 93% (left 2022/23) DfE |
| Pupils | ||
| Eligible for free school meals | 50.7% DfE register | 53% DfE register |
| English as an additional language | 45.3% school census 2024/25 | 40.3% school census 2024/25 |
| Receiving SEN support | 7.6% school census 2024/25 | 8.6% school census 2024/25 |
| Pupils per teacher | 13.7 DfE workforce census | 14.4 DfE workforce census |
| Overall absence | 4.1% DfE, 2024/25 | 10.6% DfE, 2024/25 |
DfE register: Get Information About Schools, daily extract as at 2026-10-07. Other sources are named in each cell; every figure links to its source on the school's own page.
Shaded cells differ between the two schools. A blank is not a weakness: it means the figure has not been published, or does not apply to that type of school. Fees and results are not comparable between state and independent schools.