Academic Excellence at St Columba’s College
Students at St Columba’s College achieve excellent academic results, whatever their starting point. Academic rigour is built into the curriculum from the very beginning. At Key Stage 3 we offer an ambitious programme including STEM, Financial Education and ‘Big Questions’ which challenges students to think holistically, across subject disciplines and to develop skills of creativity, problem-solving and critical thinking. Our small class sizes and specialist teaching enable students to develop a conscientious approach, meticulous attention to detail and dedication to learning for its own sake.
At Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5, students then achieve outstanding academic results which place us in the top 9% of schools nationally for value-added (the difference between expected progress based on ability and actual results). With 55% of entries graded at 9-7, our GCSE results are nearly three times higher than the national average. 39% of students gained at least one grade 9 in 2025, and our grade 9 percentages are more than three times the national average. Our A Level grades are superb, with 43% of entries gaining an A* or A grade in 2025. 73% of students were able to progress to Russell Group universities in 2025 and a number of students gained competitive places on apprenticeship schemes.
These exceptional results are testament to the determination, care and support shown to our students by our passionate and highly qualified academic staff. We are unrelenting in helping each student to make progress and to flourish in their learning. We will run GCSE and A Level courses where there is demand, even with small numbers, and our students thrive with the personal attention and individualised support that they are able to receive from their teachers.
