Ages 
Some see the Vaughan as a ‘quasi grammar school’ and its cousin in Fulham as a ‘quasi public school’. Whatever you label it, we can tell you it’s the kind of school parents search high and low for but rarely find. It’s a school where everyone (school, parents, pupils) expects a huge amount from everyone else and, in turn, gives a huge amount back. But don’t bother unless your son (or daughter in sixth form) won’t crumble or rebel under unyielding authority.
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Unlike other websites, schools can't pay to be included in The Good Schools Guide. This means our review of this school is independent, critical and fair, and written with parents' best interests at heart.
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Overview & data
- Pupil numbers
- 1,044 ·
- Sixth form numbers
- 395 ·
- Religion
- RC
- Local authority
- Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council
Headteacher
Headmaster
Mr Aaron Cosgrove
Since September 2025, Aaron Cosgrove, previously deputy head pastoral and DSL. He joined the school 25 years ago and has been a member of the senior leadership team for the last 11. He remains the Catholic Executive Officer of the Saint John
Entrance
Around 950 apply for the 128 year 7 places; pupils come from over 50 schools: 'a pan London intake' says school. Long (in)famous for the rigour of its admissions criteria, stories abound of devoted little churchgoers being rejected on account of
Entry and exit data - year 7 entry (average 2020-2022)
Exit
Around 20 per cent leave after GCSEs – most to join other schools, a few to employment and some to other RC colleges. A regular mighty handful to Oxbridge (14 in 2025); most of the rest to heavyweight universities (66 per cent to Russell Group) to do
% students progressing to higher education or training (2021 leavers)
What is this?
The proportion of 16-18 students that progressed to degrees, higher apprenticeships or other study at level 4 or above for at least 6 consecutive months in the 2 years after taking advanced level qualifications (level 3) at this school or college.
Latest results
In 2025, 55 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 79 per cent 9-5 in both maths and English; 46 per cent A*/A at A level (77 per cent A*-B). ]
GCSE - % of pupils achieving grade 5 or above (A* to C) in English and maths GCSE (2024)
What is this?
This tells you the percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs.
A levels or equivalent - Average points score (2024)
What is this?
These figures tell you the average grade and average points that pupils achieved in their academic qualifications. A maximum of 60 points are available for a grade A* at A level.
Teaching & learning
Out of the 282 boys in the country who got more than seven 9s at GCSE, five were from The Vaughan. And remember, this is a comprehensive school. The Sunday Times regularly rates it as the highest attaining comprehensive school in the country and at A
- Qualifications taken in 2024
- A level
- BTEC
- EPQ
- GCSE
Learning support & SEN
School takes more than its fair share of children on ECHPs (23 when we visited, most with ASD) and as such, is a beacon of hope for parents of children with significant difficulties. New heavily staffed annexe gives these and other pupils with milder
Arts & extracurricular
Music, under the supervision of the highly regarded director of music, is ‘astonishing’, according to parents. It all started when the head 40 years ago decided to add to the ‘perfectly normal music department’ the elite Schola Cantorum. This became
Sport
Vaughan rugby and football teams are not to be messed with and are widely respected by other west London schools. All this despite the boys having to travel half an hour on the bus to Twickenham to train. In the last four years, the first XI football
Ethos & heritage
The school was originally built as a memorial to the third Archbishop of Westminster, Herbert, Cardinal Vaughan. Founded in 1914, it started life as an independent school with 29 pupils but became a grammar school in 1944 and a comprehensive in 1977.
Pastoral care, inclusivity & discipline
Discipline couldn’t be tighter – ‘They don’t let you get away with anything and they let you know that from the off, so few transgress,’ reported a parent. For the little troubleshooting that is needed, it's a case of ‘firm, fair and fast’. Detention
Mobile phone policy
A clear mobile phone policy is a really important part of modern schooling. This school has provided us with their policy.
Mobile phone policy
Provided by the school and not part of our review Pupils in years 7 to 11 are not allowed smartphones in school. Any smartphone brought into school will be confiscated and kept for the rest of that half-term. Pupils are permitted, however, to bring a brick phone to school. In this case, it must be switched off upon entering the school grounds. Pupils who are seen on their brick phone anywhere in the school will be punished. Pupils in the sixth form are allowed to bring smartphones to school and may use them outside of lessons in Addison Hall.
Pupils & parents
Around half are from ethnic minority groups – after white British and white European, next biggest group is black African. Some 40 per cent EAL. ‘The pan-London multiracial aspect has been one of the best things about the school - I love the way our
Money matters
Much effort devoted to persuading parents, former parents, ex-pupils and friends to donate to the Love and Service Fund. The majority donate something – some more, some less – and a few odd individual donors are particularly generous. Leads to an
The last word
Some see the Vaughan as a ‘quasi grammar school’ and its cousin in Fulham as a ‘quasi public school’. Whatever you label it, we can tell you it’s the kind of school parents search high and low for but rarely find. It’s a school where everyone
Inspection reports
Ofsted reports
Full inspection: Outstanding
You can read full reports on the Ofsted website
| Personal development | Outstanding |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Outstanding |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
| Sixth form provision | Outstanding |
