School profile

St Thomas More Catholic High School

Secondary · Academy converter · North Shields, NE29 8LF

Good

Map showing St Thomas More Catholic High School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#1,169 of 3,312

Better than 64% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#1,026 of 2,536

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

St Thomas More Catholic High School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 17 May 2023

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
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,660
GenderMixed
Religious characterRoman Catholic
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMiss Emma Patterson
TrustBISHOP BEWICK CATHOLIC EDUCATION TRUST
Local authorityNorth Tyneside
Opened01 Dec 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 137734.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolNorth TynesideEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.48.8, better than England, better than North Tyneside46.446.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.68.1%, better than England, better than North Tyneside64.6%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.49.6%, better than England, better than North Tyneside45.2%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.10.4%, worse than England, similar to North Tyneside12.1%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths62.3%, similar to England, similar to North Tyneside60.4%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4260--

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 schoolNorth TynesideEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.35.21, similar to England, similar to North Tyneside35.6135
Average A-level gradeB---
Average points, best three A-levels36.62, similar to England, similar to North Tyneside36.4635.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsB---
AAB or better19.7%, similar to England, similar to North Tyneside17.2%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.04, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study142--
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 pupils1,660
Girls840
Boys820
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.25.5%
First language not English9.2%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,650
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0%
Sixth form places2024/25300
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.202
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.46
Average class size20.9

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
80.8%
Other Asian
3.6%
African
2.6%
Other White
2.5%
Indian
1.9%
Other mixed
1.4%
White and Black African
1.3%
Chinese
1.3%
Other ethnic group
0.9%
Irish
0.8%

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 teacher15.9
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.12.3
Teachers (FTE)104.54
Teaching assistants (FTE)22.24
Support staff (FTE)42.39
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/25106.5
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/25100.1
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/253
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/253.4

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.266
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.429
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.253
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.237
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)31

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 schoolNorth TynesideEngland
Overall absence8.6%, worse than England, worse than North Tyneside7.9%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.23.1%, similar to England, worse than North Tyneside20.3%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.3.9%, similar to England, worse than North Tyneside3.2%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 rate10.5%
Pupils with one or more suspensions5.1%
Permanent exclusion rate0.4%
Permanent exclusions6

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.95%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.88.4%
School sixth form56%
Further education31.3%
Apprenticeship4.6%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.3.1%
Employment1.9%
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.89%
Higher education68.5%
Employment15.1%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.7.5%
Apprenticeship2.7%
Further education1.4%

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 Thomas More Catholic High School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.4 miPrimaryWhitehouse Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Inadequate
0.4 miPrimaryNew York Primary SchoolCommunity school
Outstanding
0.7 miPrimaryCollingwood Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miPrimaryPreston Grange Primary SchoolFoundation school
Good
0.9 miSecondaryNorham High SchoolFoundation school
Good
0.9 miPrimarySt Joseph's Catholic Primary School, North ShieldsAcademy converter
Good
1.0 miPrimarySpring Gardens Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Requires improvement
1.0 miSecondaryJohn Spence Community High SchoolAcademy converter
Requires improvement
1.1 miSecondaryMonkseaton High SchoolFoundation school
Requires improvement
1.1 miPrimaryStar of the Sea Catholic Primary School, Whitley BayAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about St Thomas More Catholic High School

What is St Thomas More Catholic High School's Ofsted rating?

St Thomas More Catholic High School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 17 May 2023.

How does St Thomas More Catholic High School rank in England?

St Thomas More Catholic High School ranks 1,169 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 64% of schools) and 1,026 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (similar to most schools).

What are St Thomas More Catholic High School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 49.6% of pupils at St Thomas More Catholic High School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 48.8 (England 46.2).

What are St Thomas More Catholic High School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at St Thomas More Catholic High School was B-, and 19.7% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into St Thomas More Catholic High School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, St Thomas More Catholic High School made 266 offers from 429 applications (1.6 per offer), and 237 of 253 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend St Thomas More Catholic High School?

St Thomas More Catholic High School has 1,660 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of St Thomas More Catholic High School?

St Thomas More Catholic High School had 1,650 school places in 2024/25.

Does St Thomas More Catholic High School have a sixth form?

Yes, St Thomas More Catholic High School has a sixth form with 300 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at St Thomas More Catholic High School?

At St Thomas More Catholic High School, the average class had 20.9 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.9 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at St Thomas More Catholic High School?

In 2025/26, pupils at St Thomas More Catholic High School missed 8.6% of sessions (England 8%), and 23.1% 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.