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Cardinal Newman Catholic School

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Voluntary aided

The Upper Drive, Hove BN3 6ND · cncs.co.uk · 01273 558551

On the mapSearch near BN3 6ND

Overview

Ofsted
No overall grade
2019 framework · inspected Oct 2024
GCSEs, 2024/25
50.4
average Attainment 8 score. Brighton and Hove 46.2, England 46
Demand for places
1.4
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
2,657
57 over 2,600 places · 102%
Local authority
Brighton and Hove
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
22.2%
First language not English
22.4%
School census 2025/26

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 484 families put the school first and 346 places were offered; 70% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 377 (Places 353)377September 2023: 449 (Places 358)449September 2024: 461 (Places 355)461September 2025: 509 (Places 346)509September 2026: 484 (Places 346)484Places 346
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20263464841.4▲70%
September 2025Sept 20253465091.5▲66%
September 2024Sept 20243554611.3▲74%
September 2023Sept 20233584491.3▲78%
September 2022Sept 20223533771.1▲90%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 50.4, and 47.9% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Brighton and Hove it was 46.2, and across England 46.

In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade B- (37.9 points per entry).

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 52.6 (England 46.3)52.62017/18: 53.9 (England 46.5)53.92018/19: 51.5 (England 46.7)51.52021/22: 56.1 (England 48.8)56.12022/23: 51.8 (England 46.3)51.82023/24: 54.4 (England 45.9)54.42024/25: 50.4 (England 46.0)50.4England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▲50.446.0
▲47.9%45.4%
▲71.5%64.8%
▼34.0%40.5%
▲4.464.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form57.7+7.6
Sixth form college23.4−6.7
Further education10.7−1.4
Other education1.10
Apprenticeship0.6−0.5
Employment1.40
Not in a lasting destination3.7+1.4
Activity not captured1.4−0.3

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252015/16: 30.1 (England 30.5)C2016/17: 32.9 (England 31.1)C+2017/18: 35.8 (England 32.1)B-2018/19: 36.9 (England 32.9)B-2021/22: 41.7 (England 37.9)B+2022/23: 36.6 (England 34.2)B-2023/24: 37.3 (England 34.4)B-2024/25: 37.9 (England 35.0)B-England 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
250 studentsB- (37.9)Above average +0.31
250 studentsB- (38.1)Above average +0.31
162 studentsMerit+ (29.7)Average -0.02
27.1%AAB or better
94.5%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/24247B- (37.3)+0.20
2022/23251B- (36.6)—
2021/22235B+ (41.7)—
2018/19155B- (36.9)+0.36
2017/18188B- (35.8)+0.23
2016/17187C+ (32.9)+0.02
2015/16210C (30.1)-0.04

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University30.5−13.4
Further and other education9.4+2.5
Further education6.1+3.9
Other education3.4−1.3
Apprenticeship2.4−0.1
Employment38.7+10.2
Not in a lasting destination14.9+5.2
Activity not captured4−4.5

Ofsted

Ofsted inspected Cardinal Newman Catholic School on 8 October 2024 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.

Overall
No overall grade
Inspected
8 Oct 2024
Graded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Graded areas

Quality of educationOutstanding
Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
Personal developmentOutstanding
Leadership and managementOutstanding
Sixth formOutstanding

Previously: Improving, ungraded inspection, May 2023

Earlier inspections

September 2019 to November 2025

  • May 2023Ungraded inspectionImproving
    SafeguardingEffective

Before September 2019

  • Jan 2018Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Personal development, behaviour and welfareGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    16 to 19 study programmesGood
    SafeguardingEffective
  • Dec 2015Requires improvement
    Outcomes for pupilsRequires improvement
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentRequires improvement
    Personal development, behaviour and welfareRequires improvement
    Leadership and managementRequires improvement
    16 to 19 study programmesGood
    SafeguardingEffective

What parents said

95% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (366 replies, to 1 September 2025).

Recommend
95%
Replies
366
14% · 1 Sept 2025
Child is happy at school▲95% agreeEngland 89%
Child feels safe▲95% agreeEngland 90%
Pupils are well behaved▲93% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations▲93% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well▲93% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn●85% agreeEngland 84%
Told how child is doing▲92% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects▲100% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities▲97% agreeEngland 91%
Supports personal development▲89% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly▲88% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 74% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▲61% agreeEngland 50%

based on the 33% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▲81% agreeEngland 67%

based on 84 parents (23%) with SEND

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