St Mary's Catholic School
About St Mary's Catholic School
St Mary's Catholic School stands out sharply against the Newcastle upon Tyne local authority average for secondary schools. Its Progress 8 score of 0.56 is nearly a full grade higher than the LA average of -0.4, placing the school second out of 19 similar schools in the area and in the top 25% nationally. This is a school where pupils make significantly more academic progress than their peers across the city, and the gap is wide enough to be meaningful for any parent comparing options. The school is also one of only two schools in the local authority rated Outstanding by Ofsted, a rating it has held across both its most recent graded inspection in 2023 and its previous inspection in 2009. With 1,459 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,395, it is clearly a popular choice, and the oversubscription figures back that up: for 2025/26 entry, the school received 995 applications for 225 places, with 406 of those as first preferences.
Key Details
The full report on this school
The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
12 Sept 2023Source: Ofsted, 19 Oct 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:10
Source: stmarysnewcastle.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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Frequently Asked Questions About St Mary's Catholic School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices