A school in the North East has been celebrating its "tremendous" rating after Ofsted inspectors found it to be outstanding across the board. 

Cardinal Hume Catholic School is celebrating an exceptional achievement following its recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024.

The 1,500 pupil secondary and sixth-form school in Wrekenton, Gateshead, has been awarded an ‘Outstanding’ rating in all areas, a testament to the hard work and dedication of its staff and students.

The inspection covered overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision - with the school scoring outstanding in each criteria.

Ofsted’s report highlights that pupils at Cardinal Hume Catholic School receive an "exceptional" quality of education.

The inspectors praised the school's ambitious and bespoke curriculum, "tailored to meet the needs of all pupils."

They also noted that students become increasingly expert in the subjects they study, producing consistently high-quality work, preparing them well for their next stage in education, employment, or training.

The report also focused its praise on the school’s efforts to develop pupils’ character, describing the work as “exemplary”. 

Cardinal Hume’s "inclusive and welcoming" environment was another highlight of the report. Inspectors noted that differences in society are promoted and celebrated, with pupils being polite and thoughtful in their interactions with one another.

This inclusive and accepting culture extends to the school’s approach to supporting pupils with special education needs and disabilities, with targeted efforts to remove barriers to achievement.

The school's commitment to high academic standards is reflected in its strong examination outcomes and its leading role in subject networks both locally and regionally.

The expertise of the teaching staff, bolstered by effective training programmes, ensures that pupils receive high-quality instruction and in turn achieve results of a consistently high standard across all age groups.

This is particularly evident in the sixth form, where students demonstrate impressive command of their subjects, whether conversing confidently in French or solving complex mathematical problems.

Headteacher Brendan Robson expressed his pride in the school’s achievements, saying: “This judgement is an exceptional achievement for everyone in the Cardinal Hume community.

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"I am delighted that the inspection team was able to capture the exemplary work that goes on here, day in, day out. Ofsted’s bar for ‘outstanding’ is extremely high, within a rigorous and exacting inspection framework, so this is a tremendous outcome.

"However, as inspectors recognised, we are not complacent. We will not rest in our ongoing quest to continually drive up standards for the young people in this area.

"Excellent schools are founded on partnership, and I am pleased that the contributions of our students, staff, and families have been recognised. They are a credit to the school and our wider community.”