School Chooser

St Catherine's Catholic Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedAcademyRoman Catholic162 pupilsNurseryNewcastle-upon-TyneNewcastle upon Tyne
School Chooser Score
20
Below
similar schools
Likely range 9 to 43, so it could be “well below”
Out of 100. Better than 13% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, June 2025
Reached the expected level at 1133%England 63%
Attendance95.1%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families29%About the same as most schools in England
Places48 spare162 pupils, 210 places
Pupils per teacher14.3School workforce census

St Catherine's Catholic Primary School is a converter academy in Newcastle-upon-Tyne for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 162 pupils and room for 210. About 29 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, about the same as most schools in England. We give it 20 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 13% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.

Greystoke Gardens, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 1PS0191 232 6803stcatherinesnewcastle.orgMiss Lisa Hoey headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 3 June 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes
Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
6 December 2023UngradedSchool remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

27 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1133%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score102.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score98.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 67%67%20172018: 75%75%20182019: 63%63%20192023: 72%72%20232024: 62%62%20242025: 33%33%2025
Since 2017: -34%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure2025202420232019†2018†2017†Newcastle upon TyneEngland
Pupils tested272929302824
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths33%62%72%63%75%67%66%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%14%3%20%11%8%10%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score102.0105.0103.0104.0107.0104.0105.5105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score98.0104.0103.0104.0105.0106.0104.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score100.0105.0104.0109.0107.0106.0105.4105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard67%79%79%80%82%67%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard44%76%83%80%82%79%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)59%79%83%73%86%88%
Reading progressReading progress score-2.1+1.8+3.4+1.3
Maths progressMaths progress score-1.1+1.1+2.5-0.2
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged14%36%80%58%80%88%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged40%78%68%67%72%56%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

† These results are for St Catherine's RC Primary School, the school this one replaced in January 2021. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 1 of the 4 gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
14%40%
Gap 26 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
21%46%
Gap 25 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
44%33%
Gap 11 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%0%
No gapEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published. As a Roman Catholic school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Plenty of spare places145 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
69% full

65 places were empty (31% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 20% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place (11 offers for 30 places).

EntryPlacesApplied at allGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary302311all offeredLA
2025 Primary303916all offeredLA

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll162Census January 2026
Places21077% full
Pupils from low-income families28%29% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English53%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support11%17 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%4 pupils with a plan
Average class size17.88 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)29%£62,000 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls84 / 78
White British pupils20%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 22.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 22.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (9), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (6), emotional and mental health (4), Autistic spectrum disorder (1), Hearing impairment (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll162164181207193195
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals28%26%29%28%30%36%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language53%45%43%48%48%49%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support13%9%10%15%12%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%3%2%1%0%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.1% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.1%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school13.2%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils1.22024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.8%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19†England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.9%5.5%6.7%6.2%4.5%4.5%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.1%3.6%4.5%4.4%3.2%2.9%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.8%1.9%2.3%1.8%1.3%1.6%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence13.2%15.7%24.1%20.6%12.0%9.2%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate1.21.10.00.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

† These attendance figures are for St Catherine's RC Primary School, the school this one replaced in January 2021. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers11.0full-time equivalent, 11 people
Pupils per teacher14.3Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants4.7full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£48,898
Teachers who left in the year6%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher18.02024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£8,902England £7,128. Total £1.5m
Income per pupil£7,994England £7,587. Total £1.3m
Spent on teachers per pupil£5,518England £3,405
Money in reserve2%Very little put by: £27k, £163 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out-£149kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£8,902spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m27412 months to June 2026, mostly anti-social behaviour
Local crime rate59 per 1,000 people35% lower than the England average
Typical house price£201,000Newcastle upon Tyne
Nearest bus stop150 mSpringbank Road, 17 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Hotspur Primary SchoolFoundation630 m440Good 202323Compare
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, HeatonAcademy790 m208Outstanding 202392Compare
Chillingham Road Primary SchoolFoundation0.7 miles242No overall grade 202579Compare
Christ Church CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England0.7 miles126Report card 202642Compare
West Jesmond Primary SchoolFoundation0.8 miles605No overall grade 202599Compare
Ravenswood Primary SchoolFoundation0.9 miles598Good 202371Compare
Byker Primary SchoolCouncil0.9 miles391No overall grade 202512Compare
St Lawrence's Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy1.0 miles221Good 202357Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St Catherine's Catholic Primary School with the 46 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 46 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats13%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 20 is 36 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 56 · highest 98100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 20 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 20% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 9 to 43. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%in line
-0.08
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 27 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 1.3 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
-0.02
DfE progress measure; 27 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well below
-0.20
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
+0.00
2024/25; 144 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.12
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 27 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is St Catherine's Catholic Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. St Catherine's Catholic Primary School scores 20 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 13% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 9 to 43, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is St Catherine's Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated St Catherine's Catholic Primary School not judged at its last full inspection on 3 June 2025.

How good are St Catherine's Catholic Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 33% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does St Catherine's Catholic Primary School have?

162 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 77% full.

Is St Catherine's Catholic Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 65 places were empty in 2024/25 (31% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at St Catherine's Catholic Primary School?

Pupils were in school 95.1% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 13% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at St Catherine's Catholic Primary School?

The average class had 17.8 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Greystoke Gardens, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 1PS
Telephone
0191 232 6803
Website
www.stcatherinesnewcastle.org
Headteacher
Miss Lisa Hoey
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic, Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle
Multi-academy trust
Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust (39 schools)
Local authority
Newcastle upon Tyne
Ward
South Jesmond
Constituency
Newcastle upon Tyne North
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 January 2021 (academy converter)
URN
148271 · LAESTAB 3913778 · UKPRN 10087349
Formerly
St Catherine's RC Primary School

Where these figures come from