Cardinal Newman Catholic School A Specialist Science College, Luton

In its own words: "Cardinal Newman Catholic School is the only Catholic secondary school in Luton, Dunstable and Houghton Regis. Established in 1968 we continue to offer a distinctive Catholic education to all that come here. We live out our motto of 'Together towards our Lord through learning, love and faith' each and every day in all that we do."

From the headteacher's welcome: "I would like to welcome you to Cardinal Newman Catholic School, a truly extraordinary school built to serve the Luton community through our mission Together Towards Our Lord through Learning, Love and Faith. Our school can be described through our curriculum aims of developing Growth, Connection, and Mission for our students."

In 2026, pupils at Cardinal Newman Catholic School A Specialist Science College averaged an Attainment 8 score of 49.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.5 in Luton and 47 across England.

43% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 46% in Luton and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 50.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.38: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 40.7, against 51.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10.9 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 250 families put Cardinal Newman Catholic School A Specialist Science College as their first choice and 410 named it as one of their preferences, for 261 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 15 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Cardinal Newman Catholic School A Specialist Science College are Icknield High School (1 mile, Good, Attainment 8 48.3); Lea Manor High School (1.2 miles, Attainment 8 42.3); Stopsley High School (1.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.9); and Lealands High School (2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.7).

Cardinal Newman Catholic School A Specialist Science College's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Cardinal Newman Catholic School A Specialist Science College is one of 18 schools run by St Thomas Catholic Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 265 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 93% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 29% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 0% into work.

Of the 125 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 58% went on to university or other higher education, 6% to apprenticeships and 19% into work. 13% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

30.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (27%), Black (25%) and Asian (14%).

Cardinal Newman Catholic School A Specialist Science College has a resourced provision for visual impairment and autism: 18 places, 16 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Leagrave Rail Station, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.

3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cardinal Newman School (in), 60 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 128 crimes within a mile of the school, most often shoplifting, violence and sexual offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Luton (296).

In 2024/25, Cardinal Newman Catholic School A Specialist Science College issued 260 suspensions, 15.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Cardinal Newman Catholic School A Specialist Science College are Warden Hill Infant Academy (0.5 miles), Bramingham Primary School (0.5 miles), Warden Hill Junior School (0.5 miles) and Icknield Primary School (1.1 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.