Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead

Cardinal Hume Catholic School in Gateshead has received an outstanding rating across all areas of its educational provision, demonstrating exceptional performance since its last inspection in 2014. The school presents a strong commitment to inclusive education and character development, fostering an environment where pupils are respectful and eager to learn. Students show impressive outcomes in their academic work and personal development, benefiting from a well-rounded curriculum that emphasizes both educational achievements and character building, aligned with the school's Catholic ethos.

Strengths

• Exceptional quality of education enabling pupils to excel academically.
• Highly effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Strong focus on character development, promoting responsible and reflective citizenship.
• Comprehensive enrichment opportunities that enhance pupils' personal growth.
• Effective leadership with a clear vision and commitment to continuous improvement.

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 Hume Catholic School, Gateshead attended 93.4% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 15.3% 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, 5.1% of pupils at Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 7 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 Hume Catholic School, Gateshead had 18.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 20.1% 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, 9.2% of pupils at Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.7% 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 2024–25 Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead received £8,217 and spent £8,350 for each of its 1,500 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,601,000 (£1,067 per pupil).

Across all 46 schools of Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust, income was £7,708 and spending £7,760 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Gateshead · Gateshead local authority: places and applications

Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead is part of Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust, which runs 46 schools. The nearest others:

• St Oswald's Catholic Primary, Wrekenton Gateshead
• St Peter's Catholic Primary School, Low Fell Gateshead
• St Anne's Catholic Primary School, Harlow Green Gateshead
• St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Gateshead Gateshead
• St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School, Gateshead Gateshead
• Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, Gateshead Gateshead
• St Alban's Catholic Primary School, Pelaw Gateshead
• St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gateshead Gateshead
• St Bede's Catholic Primary School, Washington Washington
• St Joseph's Catholic Infant School, Birtley Chester Le Street

What is Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead is Outstanding, from an inspection in July 2024.

When was Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead last inspected by Ofsted?

Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead was last inspected in July 2024.

How many pupils does Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead have?

Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead has 1,505 pupils on roll.

What age range does Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead cover?

Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 54.3, and 61% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead?

Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead is at Old Durham Road, Beacon Lough, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE9 6RZ.