St Columba's College A GSG School
- St Columba's College
King Harry Lane
St Albans
Hertfordshire
AL3 4AW - Head: Mr Karl Guest
- T 01727 855185
- F 01727 892 024
- E [email protected]
- W www.stcolumbascollege.org/
- An independent school for boys and girls aged from 4 to 18.
- Read about the best schools in East Hertfordshire and West Hertfordshire
- Boarding: No
- Local authority: Hertfordshire
- Pupils: 820; sixth formers: 160
- Religion: Roman Catholic
- Fees: £12,714 - £19,338 pa
- Open days: Sixth Form Open Evening: 9th November
- Review: View The Good Schools Guide Review
- Ofsted report: View the Ofsted report
- ISI report: View the ISI report
What The Good Schools Guide says..
Impressive results especially given the wide intake, though to focus on this alone would be to miss a big part of the jigsaw. Good teaching has three magic ingredients, believes the school: strong subject knowledge, passion for subject and the relationship between teacher and student. Bulging trophy cabinets suggest they like to win, ‘but sport is more important than that,’ says the school, which claims Olympian values matter most. ‘My child isn’t even very good at rugby and they made a team,’ remarked an incredulous parent...
What the school says...
At St Columba's we provide a broad, high quality education and have students in the College from a wide variety of religious traditions. We aim for each student to achieve their own best standard. At each phase of education, Prep and Senior, we nurture the key Columban qualities of courage, courtesy and compassion. We strive for academic excellence whilst realising that it is whole person education that best prepares students for the world and workplace of tomorrow. As a school under the trusteeship of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, we recognise that moral and spiritual qualities are equally important in that roundness of character.
St Columba's is known for its strong community values. We work in close partnership with parents to provide the supportive care and challenge for our students which enables them to flourish. Through a Columban education your child will discover much about themselves and also about the contribution they can make to society at large. This quality of compassionate service is borne out in the College motto of Cor ad Cor Loquitur -- heart speaking to heart.
Our community is vibrant and our students are the best evidence of what a Columban education can produce. ...Read more
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Other features
All-through school (for example 3-18 years). - An all-through school covers junior and senior education. It may start at 3 or 4, or later, and continue through to 16 or 18. Some all-through schools set exams at 11 or 13 that pupils must pass to move on.
Sports
Fencing
What The Good Schools Guide says
Head
Since 2023, Karl Guest, formerly head of Alton School. Born and brought up in south London, he was educated by the De La Salle Brothers. After more than a decade working in schools, including in Australia, he spent seven years as deputy head of Sydenham High School in London before taking up his first headship at Alton School in 2020. Married with two children, one a physiotherapist and the other at university. He enjoys sport, cooking, music and travel.
Entrance
Mildly selective. For 4+ entry, an hour-long informal assessment; at 7+, maths, English and reasoning assessments, plus a reference and latest report from current school. Both held in January and October.
An additional 40 places become available at 11+ (three applications for every place) and 20 at 13+ (two applicants for every place)....
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Overall school performance (for comparison or review only)
Results by exam and subject
Subject results
Entry/Exit
Special Education Needs
In the Senior School, we are committed to the development of the whole person in keeping with our inclusive and supportive ethos. All students on the SEND register have an individualised programme of support with their IEPs reviewed every half term. We work closely with parents and also outside agencies where relevant so that all students can thrive and make progress as valuable contributors to our community. All lessons throughout the College are differentiated to cater for different levels of need; we pride ourselves on knowing our students and helping them to maximise progress whatever their starting point. This is also done through our extensive pastoral programme and tutor support. Interventions for students with SEND may include one-to-one support sessions with our SENCO, small group or in-lesson support with our team of LSAs, mentoring and ‘buddying’ from older students and opportunities to attend individual subject-based study sessions.
| Condition | Provision for in school |
|---|---|
| ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder | Y |
| Aspergers | Y |
| Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders | |
| CReSTeD registered for Dyslexia | |
| Dyscalculia | Y |
| Dysgraphia | |
| Dyslexia | Y |
| Dyspraxia | |
| English as an additional language (EAL) | Y |
| Genetic | |
| Has an entry in the Autism Services Directory | |
| Has SEN unit or class | |
| HI - Hearing Impairment | Y |
| Hospital School | |
| Mental health | Y |
| MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty | Y |
| MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment | |
| Natspec Specialist Colleges | |
| OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability | |
| Other SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty | |
| PD - Physical Disability | Y |
| PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty | |
| SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health | Y |
| SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication | |
| SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty | |
| Special facilities for Visually Impaired | |
| SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty | Y |
| VI - Visual Impairment |
Who came from where
| School | Year | Places | Scholarships | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beechwood Park School | 2023 | 1 | ||
| Chesham Preparatory School | 2023 | 1 | ||
| Keble Prep School | 2023 | 1 |
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