St Mary’sCatholicSchool

St Mary’s -An OutstandingSchool

StMary’swasjudgedasan‘Outstanding’schoolbyOfstedinMay2009.Thereportstates,‘Students’achievementsareoutstanding,asistheirpersonaldevelopmentand well-being’.Read thereportat:

StMary’salsoreceivedaletterfromHerMajesty’sChiefInspector,ChristineGilbert,inJuly2009stating,‘ThejudgementofoutstandingmeansthatStMary’sisexceptionalandsignificantelementsoftheschool'sworkareexemplary’.Readwhatothershavesaid at:

WewerevisitedbyaDiocesanInspectionteaminJune2009 and January 2016andwereagainjudgedasan‘Outstanding’School.The 2009 reportstates,‘StMary’sisanoutstandingCatholicschoolprovidinganeducationwhichenablesstudentstoflourish’and‘Studentsthriveinacommunitywheretheyfeelacceptedandempoweredtodiscoverandusetheirgiftsandtalents’.Readthe reportat:

Finally,inFebruary2010StMary'swasagainjudgedas'Outstanding'byOfstedduringanEnglishsubjectinspectioninFebruary2010.Thereportstates,'Students' stronginvolvementinlearningand excellentprogressresultsfromteachingwhichisroutinelygood and oftenoutstanding'. Read thereportat:

SchoolInformation

StMary’sisaverysuccessful,popularandhappyschool,ratedOutstandingbytheDioceseandOfsted.Webecameanacademyin2013andenjoyoutstandingfacilitiesinanewbuildingwhichopenedin2011.WeareaNationalSupportSchool,increasinglyengagedinschooltoschoolsupport,aswellasacorepartnerinaTeachingSchoolAlliance.Opportunitiesforprofessionaldevelopmentare,therefore,wide-rangingandanaddedattractionforpotentialnewstaff.

StMary’suniqueness –the onlymixed,Catholicsecondaryschoolin thecity

Weare theonlymixed,CatholicsecondaryschoolinNewcastleandareproudof ourCatholicdistinctiveness.WeaimtolivebythemessageoftheGospelineveryaspectofschoollifeandwetakeChristasourexample.WeworkcloselyinpartnershipwithourCatholicpartnerprimaryschoolsfromwheremostchildrencomeandwithwhomwesharethesameethos. OurschoolisalsoenrichedbychildrenwhocomefromotherschoolsinNewcastleandbeyond,including

fromoverseas.WewelcomeallstudentsequallytoStMary’sfromavarietyofFaithbackgrounds.EveryonewhochoosesStMary’scanbeassured ofthebestpossibleeducation.

StMary’spopularity

  • StMary’shasgrowninpopularityinrecentyears.We areoversubscribedwitharisingroll(850in 2009-1200in2015).

We have beenableto offerplacestostudentsfrom manydifferentprimaryschools.

The corevaluesofStMary’s CatholicSchool

  • Anexcellentschoolwhichcelebrateseachstudent`suniquesetofGod-givengiftsandtalentsandensuresthatstudentsusetheirgiftsandtalentstothefull.

•AschoolwhichstrivestolivebythemessageoftheGospel,offeringstudentsopportunitiesforspiritualgrowthanddevelopment,whatevertheirfaithbackground,supportingthemontheir individualjourneyandpreparingthemfortheirlifetocome.

•Aschoolwhichstrivesfor excellenceineverythingitdoes,whetherintheacademicachievementofourstudentsorinthe quality andrangeofopportunitieswhichwe providefortheir all-round developmentoutsidethe classroom.

•Aschoolwhichputslearningandteachingattheheartofschoollifeandpreparesstudentsreallywellforthenextstage in theireducation,whether atUniversityor in theworkplace.

•A schoolof which we canall be rightlyproud,offering our students a first classeducation and helping themtodevelopaswellroundedindividualswhoarereadyandabletotaketheirplaceinthewiderworld,ashappy,confidentandself-awareyoung adults withasenseof serviceto their communities.

Examsuccess at StMary’s

Our students’ progress and attainment are excellent, among the very best in the north-east and UK. St Mary’s is one of 6 north-east schools with the highest value added achievement score, when measured across all the Ebacc subjects of English, Maths, Sciences, Languages and Humanities.

Attainment over the last years has averaged the following very high figures:-

  • Best 8 Value Added has been significantly above the national average for the last 5 years
  • 4 year average of 69% A*-C with English and Maths, well above the national average
  • Excellent English and Maths results over the last 4 years, 77% A*-C and 79% respectively
  • Outstanding Expected Progress results in both English, 82% and Maths, 79%, in last 4 years
  • Outstanding score of 807 points per A level student in 2015

IntheSixthForm, ourstudentshaveanexcellenttrackrecordofgainingaplaceattheirfirstorsecondchoiceuniversity.WehavesuccessfullypreparedstudentsforentryintoleadinguniversitiessuchasOxbridge,StAndrews,Durham,EdinburghandRussellGroupUniversitiestostudyMedicine,Law,Architecture,Maths,Languagesandmanyotherchallengingdegreecourses.SixthFormnumbershaveconsequentlyincreasedsteadilyoverthelastfewyearsandnowstandataround200students,allfollowingawiderangeofAlevelcourses.

Positiveclimate forlearning at StMary’s

YouwillfindStMary’stobeanorderly,well-disciplinedcommunity,wherelearningflourishesforallstudents.Ofsteddescribedstudentbehaviourasoutstanding.Wehavehighstandardsandhighexpectationsofstudentsregardingbehaviourandreadinessforlearning.Studentsknowwheretheystand.Rulesaresimple,sensibleandconsistentlyappliedsothatstudentsfeelsafeandsecureandknowwhatisexpectedofthem.Wearesmallerthansome ofthe verylargesecondaryschoolsinthecityandwebelievethatthisisadistinctadvantage,asoursmallertutorgroupsandclasssizesallowustogetto knowourstudentsreallywelland offerexcellent pastoralcare.

Wepraisestudentsfortheireffortsandcelebratetheirachievementsinmanydifferentways.Webelievethatsuchapositiveclimatepromoteslearningandinspiresstudentstofulfiltheirpotential.Excellentstudentbehaviourhasplayedamajorpartinourrecordresultsinthelastthreeyears.Studentsofallabilitiesandbackgroundsmixreallywelltogether atStMary’s and thereis apositiveand happyatmosphereintheschool.

Partnershipwith Parents

Weplaceahighvalueonworkingcloselyinpartnershipwithparentstoensurethebestforyourchildren.Anyparentwhodecidestoentrusttheirchildintoourcarecanbeassuredthatheorshewillreceiveanexcellent,allroundeducation.

StMary’s- the newschool

Main entrance

Aerial model of the new school building – opened in September 2011

The new school – front elevation

Weareallstillveryexcitedaboutworkingandlearninginthenewschool, the novelty has not worn off. We are sure that ournewstate-of-the-artfacilities will bea catalystto evenfurtherimprovement and achievementforour students in the future.

Attheheartoftheschoolisourchapel,whichoverlooksalarge,twostoreyatriumspacewherestudentsgatherbeforeschool,atbreakandlunchtimes.Thisspaceisalsousedforteaching,displayorpresentations,afterschooloreveningactivities.AroundthesidesoftheatriumarethepastoralofficeswherestudentscanfindtheirHeadofYearandFormTutors.

Thethreemainteachingblocksradiateoutwardsfromtheatrium.Twooftheteachingblocksaretwostoreysandthethird is a threestoreyblock. It is on the top floorof thisblockthat theSixth Form has a dedicated suite of rooms, studyareaandcaféstyleworkspace.Departmentshavesuitesofclassroomsandotherteachingareasinthethreemainblockslinked bycorridors,staircases andlifts.

Theschoolhallanddiningroomcanbefoundalongthefrontoftheschool,togetherwithanimpressiverangeofsportsfacilities.Thesefacilitiesincludeamultipurposesportshall,fitnesssuiteandactivitystudio(gymnasium).TheInclusionSuiteand libraryarealsointhis area.Allareasoftheschoolareeasilyaccessiblefromtheatrium.

Externally,wehaveanextensiverangeofsportsareas,amemorialgarden,awildlifearea,seatingareasforstudentsand outdoorteaching spaces.

Theschoolis an innovative,exciting design whichwe all lookforwardto enjoyingformanyyearstocome.

The Atrium