Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School

Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School continues to perform well, maintaining its good status since its last inspection. The school environment is positive, with committed leadership and a strong Catholic ethos that supports both academic and personal development. Pupils demonstrate enthusiasm for their learning and feel safe and well-cared for. The curriculum is ambitious and includes adequate support for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Overall, the school fosters a sense of community and provides various extracurricular opportunities that enrich pupil experiences.

Strengths

• Strong leadership with a good understanding of the school
• High expectations for pupil behavior and respect
• Supportive environment fostering positive pupil relationships
• Ambitious curriculum planned for all pupils
• Effective support for pupils with SEND
• Strong attendance due to effective partnerships with parents and local authority
• Wide range of extracurricular activities available
• High-quality careers advice and guidance for pupils

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent support for pupils’ independent work in some subjects
• Behaviour policy not implemented consistently across all lessons

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School attended 94.4% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 13.5% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 6.0% of pupils at Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School had 17.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.4% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 13.1% of pupils at Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School received £7,714 and spent £7,786 for each of its 916 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £348,000 (£380 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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What is Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School is Good, from an inspection in March 2023.

When was Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School last inspected by Ofsted?

Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School was last inspected in March 2023.

How many pupils does Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School have?

Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School has 916 pupils on roll.

What age range does Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School cover?

Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 55.5, and 72% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School?

Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School is at Tongue Lane, Meanwood, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 4QE.