School profile

St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon

Secondary · Academy converter · Blaydon-on-Tyne, NE21 4BQ

Good

Map showing St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#735 of 3,312

Better than 77% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#1,087 of 2,536

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 1 Mar 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
Pupils1,401
GenderMixed
Religious characterRoman Catholic
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMrs Jillian Turner
TrustBISHOP WILKINSON CATHOLIC EDUCATION TRUST
Local authorityGateshead
Opened01 Feb 2012
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 137851.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolGatesheadEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.52, better than England, better than Gateshead46.846.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.73.2%, better than England, better than Gateshead68.5%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.53.2%, better than England, better than Gateshead49.3%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.14%, similar to England, similar to Gateshead14.3%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths69.4%, better than England, better than Gateshead63.7%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4235--

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 schoolGatesheadEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.34.84, similar to England, similar to Gateshead34.1735
Average A-level gradeC+--
Average points, best three A-levels36.09, similar to England, similar to Gateshead35.0535.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsB---
AAB or better13.3%, worse than England, worse than Gateshead16.8%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.19, worse than England--
A-level progressBelow average, worse than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study126--
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 pupils1,401
Girls703
Boys698
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.18.6%
First language not English8.8%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,481
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.5.4%
Sixth form places2024/25331
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.119
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.29
Average class size22.1

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
82.9%
Other White
3.4%
African
3.2%
Other mixed
2.1%
Indian
2.1%
White and Asian
1.1%
Other ethnic group
1.1%
Pakistani
0.8%
White and Black African
0.6%
Other Asian
0.5%

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 teacher17.4
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.13.2
Teachers (FTE)80.63
Teaching assistants (FTE)14.66
Support staff (FTE)43.45
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2584.7
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2574.8
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/256.9
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/253

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.244
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.604
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.263
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.231
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)93

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 schoolGatesheadEngland
Overall absence5.3%, better than England, better than Gateshead8.8%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.14.2%, better than England, better than Gateshead21.9%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.0.2%, better than England, better than Gateshead4.7%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 rate7.9%
Pupils with one or more suspensions4.4%
Permanent exclusion rate0.2%
Permanent exclusions3

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.95.8%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.88.7%
School sixth form45.8%
Further education42.9%
Apprenticeship5%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.2.5%
Employment2.1%
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.89.3%
Higher education50.8%
Employment25.4%
Apprenticeship13.1%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.8.2%
Further education0%

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 School, Blaydon
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miPrimarySt Joseph's Catholic Primary School, BlaydonAcademy converter
Good
0.3 miPrimaryBlaydon West Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.7 miPrimarySt Mary & St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary School, BlaydonAcademy converter
Outstanding
0.7 miPrimaryParkhead Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miPrimaryWest Lane Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.1 miPrimarySt George's Catholic Primary School, Bells CloseAcademy converter
Good
1.2 miPrimaryCrookhill Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.2 miPrimaryLemington Riverside Primary SchoolFoundation school
Good
1.3 miNot applicableLiberty SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
1.4 miPrimaryWaverley Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon

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

St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 1 Mar 2023.

How does St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon rank in England?

St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon ranks 735 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 77% of schools) and 1,087 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (similar to most schools).

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

In 2025/26, 53.2% of pupils at St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 52 (England 46.2).

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

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon was C+, and 13.3% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

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

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon made 244 offers from 604 applications (2.5 per offer), and 231 of 263 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon?

St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon has 1,401 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon?

St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon had 1,481 school places in 2024/25.

Does St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon have a sixth form?

Yes, St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon has a sixth form with 331 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon?

At St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon, the average class had 22.1 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 17.4 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon?

In 2025/26, pupils at St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon missed 5.3% of sessions (England 8%), and 14.2% 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.