School profile

St John Henry Newman Catholic School

Secondary · Voluntary aided school · Carlisle, CA2 4NL

Good

Map showing St John Henry Newman Catholic School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated
Location shown at the postcode centre.Google Maps ↗

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,797 of 3,312

Worse than 84% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#2,330 of 2,536

Worse than 91% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

St John Henry Newman Catholic School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 24 May 2022

Ofsted rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Sixth form provision
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeVoluntary aided school
Ages11 to 18
Pupils703
GenderMixed
Religious characterRoman Catholic
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Declan McArdle
Local authorityCumberland
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 112399.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolCumberlandEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.38.9, worse than England, similar to Cumberland40.846.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.50%, worse than England, worse than Cumberland54.8%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.26.8%, worse than England, worse than Cumberland33.5%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.4.3%, worse than England, similar to Cumberland5.4%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths45.7%, worse than England, worse than Cumberland50.3%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4138--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolCumberlandEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.24.35, worse than England, worse than Cumberland31.835
Average A-level gradeD+--
Average grade, best three A-levelsc--
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.48, worse than England--
A-level progressBelow average, worse than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study16--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Dist--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils703
Girls355
Boys348
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.34.3%
First language not English14.2%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.785
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.10.4%
Sixth form places2024/25185
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.97
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.38
Average class size17.9

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
75%
African
10.1%
Other White
7.3%
Other Asian
1.8%
Other ethnic group
1.4%
Indian
1.1%
White and Asian
0.9%
Other mixed
0.7%
White and Black African
0.6%
Other Black
0.4%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher16.7
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.12.9
Teachers (FTE)42.06
Teaching assistants (FTE)9.62
Support staff (FTE)39.26
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2540
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2537.2
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/250.8
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/252

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.114
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.247
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.126
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.109
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)0

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolCumberlandEngland
Overall absence9.7%, worse than England, worse than Cumberland8.6%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.27.4%, worse than England, worse than Cumberland23.2%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.4.9%, worse than England, worse than Cumberland3.8%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate2.3%
Pupils with one or more suspensions1.7%
Permanent exclusion rate0.1%
Permanent exclusions1

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.85.3%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.74.7%
Further education46.3%
School sixth form28.4%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.10.5%
Employment8.4%
Apprenticeship2.1%
Sixth form college0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.92%
Higher education56%
Employment24%
Further education12%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.4%
Apprenticeship0%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near St John Henry Newman Catholic School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.4 miPrimaryUpperby Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.5 miPrimarySt Margaret Mary Catholic Primary School, CarlisleAcademy converter
Inadequate
0.6 miPrimaryPetteril Bank SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.8 miPrimaryThe Bishop Harvey Goodwin School (Church of England Voluntary Aided)Voluntary aided school
Good
1.0 miPrimaryInglewood Infant SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.1 miPrimaryInglewood Junior SchoolCommunity school
Requires improvement
1.3 miPrimaryCummersdale SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.3 miPrimaryRobert Ferguson Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.4 miPrimaryBrook Street Primary SchoolCommunity school
Requires improvement
1.5 miPrimaryPennine Way Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good

Frequently asked questions about St John Henry Newman Catholic School

What is St John Henry Newman Catholic School's Ofsted rating?

St John Henry Newman Catholic School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 24 May 2022.

How does St John Henry Newman Catholic School rank in England?

St John Henry Newman Catholic School ranks 2,797 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 84% of schools) and 2,330 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 91% of schools).

What are St John Henry Newman Catholic School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 26.8% of pupils at St John Henry Newman Catholic School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 38.9 (England 46.2).

What are St John Henry Newman Catholic School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at St John Henry Newman Catholic School was D+.

How hard is it to get into St John Henry Newman Catholic School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, St John Henry Newman Catholic School made 114 offers from 247 applications (2.2 per offer), and 109 of 126 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend St John Henry Newman Catholic School?

St John Henry Newman Catholic School has 703 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of St John Henry Newman Catholic School?

St John Henry Newman Catholic School had 785 school places in 2024/25.

Does St John Henry Newman Catholic School have a sixth form?

Yes, St John Henry Newman Catholic School has a sixth form with 185 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at St John Henry Newman Catholic School?

At St John Henry Newman Catholic School, the average class had 17.9 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 16.7 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at St John Henry Newman Catholic School?

In 2025/26, pupils at St John Henry Newman Catholic School missed 9.7% of sessions (England 8%), and 27.4% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.