St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, part of Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 94 schools in Newcastle-upon-Tyne with published results, and 474th of 14,452 across England. It was 90% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Gateshead (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham in detail
Results
In 2025, 100% of Year 6 pupils at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham reached the expected standard in reading and 90% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 79% in Gateshead and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 83% in reading and 63% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham
For September 2026 entry, 29 families put St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham as their first choice and 54 named it as one of their preferences, for 29 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham are Washingwell Community Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 76% reading, 76% maths); Swalwell Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 54% reading, 62% maths); Front Street Community Primary School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 87% reading, 95% maths); and Dunston Hill Community Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 81% reading, 75% maths).
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Washingwell Community Primary SchoolSwalwell Primary SchoolFront Street Community Primary SchoolDunston Hill Community Primary School
The trust
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham is one of 47 schools run by Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
67 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham (as of September 2025): 91% would recommend the school, 97% say their child is happy there and 85% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (97%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (85%).
Who goes there
6.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 15 pupils (7.9%) received SEN support and 3 (1.6%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a moderate learning difficulty.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Metrocentre Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Front Street - Dockendale Lane (e-bound), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham are Kingsmeadow Community School (0.7 miles), Whickham School (0.7 miles) and Emmanuel College (1.2 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in May 2022. Before that, as St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School (URN 108396), it was rated Good in June 2013.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school excels at teaching reading through expert phonics instruction and supporting pupils to become confident, independent writers through high-quality texts and purposeful activities. It creates a calm, respectful learning environment where all pupils are valued, with particularly strong support for those with additional needs. The school also develops pupils' wider skills through extra-curricular clubs, competitive sports, and leadership opportunities that build responsibility and respect.
Key Strengths
- Effective phonics teaching with deep subject knowledge ensures pupils become fluent readers
- Well-structured curriculum with strong subject knowledge in writing and other areas
- Consistent behaviour expectations and positive relationships between staff and pupils
- Strong support for pupils with SEND who access the ambitious curriculum
- Warm early years provision that encourages independent learning and exploration
Areas for Improvement
- Strategies to help pupils remember and retain key learning are not consistently applied across all foundation subjects, leading to some knowledge gaps
- Some pupils do not develop secure understanding across the full curriculum as a result
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with pupils taught how to stay safe online and understand risks including personal information sharing.
Extracurricular Activities
Extra-curricular clubs, competitive sports against other schools, Year 5 buddy roles with Reception children, road safety, fire safety, water safety
St Mary's Catholic Primary School is a warm and welcoming place where pupils are happy, safe, and have high ambitions for their learning. The school has maintained the good standards identified at its previous inspection.
At a Glance
6.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
67 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 83% to 100% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 63% to 90% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 73% to 90% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.0
Avg class size
23.7
Infant (KS1)
29.5
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham.
- Small Saints Out of School ClubAt the school · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham is in Gateshead; for families living there:
Apply to Gateshead for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 8
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 7 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Gateshead is 11 (the median across 93 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham
Will you get a place at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Gateshead, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham for 2023 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Gateshead got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
90%
Near capacity
190 pupils
210 places
20 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Across Gateshead council
Places available
2,494
Applications
1,785
Got 1st preference
98.1%
Got preferred school
99.8%
All primary applications across Gateshead council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
15
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
9.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
189
Total Pupils
93
Boys
96
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
21.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,446
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,971
Per pupil
£1015k
Total funding
£12k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
2.9%
Overall absence
1.2%
Persistent absence
170
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham
Questions parents ask about St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham
What are SATs results like at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham?
Of the pupils at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 100% reached the expected standard in reading and 90% did so in maths.
What is St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham's Ofsted rating?
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in May 2022. Before that, as St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School (URN 108396), it was rated Good in June 2013.
What is the catchment area for St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham?
No fixed boundary. When St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham is oversubscribed, Gateshead allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham?
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham was not full in 2025: it ran at 90% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham?
Classes at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham average 27 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham?
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham has around 189 pupils on roll. 7% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham?
2.9% of sessions were missed at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham in 2024/25. 1.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham?
Apply through Gateshead's coordinated admissions process, naming St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Small Saints Out of School Club (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 7 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Gateshead is 11 (the median across 93 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham?
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whickham is at Duckpool Lane, Whickham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE16 4HB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)