Schools by area › Oldham › Saint John Henry Newman Roman Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy
Saint John Henry Newman Roman Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Academy
Off Canon Dolan Way, Chadderton, Oldham OL9 9QY · newmanrc.oldham.sch.uk · 0161 785 8858
Overview
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement
- 2019 framework · inspected May 2023
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 43.7
- average Attainment 8 score. Oldham 42.3, England 46
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Year 7, September 2026 entry · Oldham Council
- Demand for places
- 0.7
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,469
- 89% of 1,650 places
- Local authority
- Oldham
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 37.4%
- First language not English
- 31.7%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: Oldham Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 186 families put the school first and 265 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 265 | 186 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 288 | 246 | 0.9 | 96% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 292 | 261 | 0.9 | 86% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 293 | 286 | 1 | 89% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 294 | 336 | 1.1▲ | 76% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 43.7, and 36.5% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Oldham it was 42.3, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼43.7 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼36.5% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼57.3% | 64.8% | ||
| ●40.6% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.83 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 136432)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 8.1 | +3.3 |
| Sixth form college | 35.4 | −1.3 |
| Further education | 45.1 | +4.3 |
| Other education | 0.3 | −0.4 |
| Apprenticeship | 2.4 | 0 |
| Employment | 1.7 | −2.7 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 5.4 | −2.1 |
| Activity not captured | 1.7 | −1 |
Published for the predecessor school (URN 136432)
Ofsted
Saint John Henry Newman Roman Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy was judged Requires improvement at its last graded inspection, on 17 May 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Requires improvement
- Inspected
- 17 May 2023
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 136432)
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Requires improvement |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Requires improvement |
| Personal development | Requires improvement |
| Leadership and management | Requires improvement |
Previously: Concerns, ungraded inspection, Jan 2020
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 136432), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Jan 2020Ungraded inspectionConcerns
Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 136432)
Before September 2019
May 2016Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 136432)
May 2014Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Good Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 136432)
What parents said
90% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (77 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 90%
- Replies
- 77
- 5% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 88% who raised concerns
based on 16 parents (21%) whose child was bullied
based on 14 parents (18%) with SEND