Newman Catholic College Review 2026: Catholic boys’ secondary with a careers-led sixth form

Newman Catholic College sits in the NW10 community it was built to serve, and its priorities read like a practical response to that context. The school was established in 1958 (originally as Cardinal Hinsley), and today it combines a clear Catholic identity with an explicitly inclusive stance in a multi-faith intake.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (4 and 5 May 2022) confirmed the school continues to be Good, with calm behaviour, strong relationships, and clear attention to student safety. Day-to-day life is also shaped by structured enrichment, from Student Council to Friday Foodbank and the Work Ready placements for sixth form students.

Academically, the numbers indicate a school that is working to raise outcomes from a challenging baseline rather than trading on headline results. Newman’s GCSE outcomes rank 2,851st in England (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), and 17th locally in Brent, placing it below England average overall. Sixth form results also sit toward the lower end of England rankings in the FindMySchool measures, so families should place weight on teaching quality, support, and post-16 pathways as much as raw grades.

The most distinctive feature of Newman’s culture is how explicitly it tries to hold together two commitments that can pull in different directions, Catholic formation and a genuinely multi-faith community. The school is clear that faith matters to students, while also describing itself as welcoming to all faiths and cultures.

That balance shows up in the way students are described in formal inspection evidence. The 2022 inspection notes a friendly environment where students feel happy and safe, and where staff are visible at the start and end of the day. Those are not cosmetic details. In a large secondary (capacity 1,000) serving a busy part of Brent, predictable routines and consistent adult presence can be the difference between a school that feels managed and one that feels secure.

Leadership matters here because Newman has been through a recent change at the top. Mr Andrew Dunne, previously acting headteacher from September 2022, has since been appointed headteacher. His public messaging focuses on relationships, behaviour, and employability, which aligns with what the site showcases most strongly, structured pastoral routines alongside a careers programme that begins early and becomes more intensive post-16.

The physical environment is evolving too. In October 2025 the school opened the Saint Carlo Acutis Block, described as a dedicated Additional Resource Provision for students with special educational needs and disabilities, including a sensory garden. The associated provision is referred to as Galilee. For families considering SEND support, that is a meaningful marker of investment, and it also signals a wider direction of travel toward inclusive, specialist spaces on site.

Newman’s performance picture is best understood as “work in progress with specific strengths,” rather than a school that currently competes on top-line exam statistics.

At GCSE, Newman is ranked 2,851st in England for outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), and 17th among schools in Brent. This places it below England average overall, within the bottom 40% of schools on that measure. The average Attainment 8 score is 39.8, and Progress 8 is -0.21, indicating students make slightly less progress than similar pupils nationally from their starting points.

A useful implication for parents is to look beyond overall averages and ask sharper questions at open events. Where is progress strongest, by year group and by subject? Which interventions are targeted at literacy and reading, especially for students arriving with lower prior attainment? The 2022 inspection explicitly highlights a drive to develop a stronger reading culture and targeted support for students whose reading is behind.

For post-16, Newman is ranked 2,591st in England for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), and 13th locally in Brent. Detailed grade breakdown is not consistently published in the same way across all sixth forms, so families should treat the post-16 offer as a pathway decision as much as an exam decision, focusing on course mix, careers guidance, and progression routes.

Newman’s curriculum story is unusually well documented in inspection evidence, which gives a clearer view than most school websites do.

The 2022 inspection describes curriculum plans that meet at least the breadth and ambition of the national curriculum in nearly all subjects, with explicit collaboration between subjects to build cross-curricular links. One example given is the way mathematics, science, geography and design technology coordinate teaching around topics such as scaling and proportional reasoning, helping students consolidate learning across contexts.

At the same time, the inspection identifies a specific weakness in English at key stage 3, where curriculum sequencing and ambition were not strong enough, including a concern that students were reading extracts from Shakespeare rather than whole plays, limiting reading stamina. That is the kind of detail parents can use directly. If English matters for your child’s confidence, ask what has changed since 2022: text choices, reading routines, library strategy, and staff development.

Support for students with SEND is described as well understood by leaders, with strong links to external agencies, but with inconsistency in classroom implementation at the time, including student “passports” not yet fully embedded. The opening of the Saint Carlo Acutis Block in 2025 suggests the school has continued investing in this area, and families should ask how the newer provision fits with mainstream teaching, not just specialist rooms.

Newman has a sixth form, so progression should be read in two stages: what happens at 16, and what happens after 18.

In the 2023 to 2024 leavers cohort (62 students), 23% progressed to university, 19% went into further education, and 13% entered employment. Apprenticeships were recorded at 0% in that cohort. These figures do not represent every possible destination type, but they do show a mixed progression pattern rather than a single dominant route.

For families, the practical implication is that sixth form planning needs to be explicit. If your child is aiming for university, ask early about subject combinations, study support, and UCAS guidance. If they are more likely to thrive through technical pathways, ask how the school builds employer links, helps students secure placements, and supports applications into professional or technical qualifications.

On the most academically selective routes, Newman recorded two Oxbridge applications in the measurement period, with one offer and one student ultimately taking up a place. That is a small number, but it matters because it indicates the school has at least some experience supporting very high attainment candidates through a complex process. For an individual student with the grades and motivation, the question is less “does the school send many,” and more “does it have staff who know how.”

Newman is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. Entry into Year 7 is coordinated through the local authority process, with additional Catholic admissions steps for those seeking faith priority.

For September 2026 entry into secondary school in Brent, applications opened on 1 September 2025, the deadline was 31 October 2025, offers were released on 2 March 2026, and families needed to respond by 16 March 2026. These dates are worth treating as fixed anchors for future years, as the local authority timetable tends to follow the same pattern.

Newman’s own admissions materials highlight the role of the Supplementary Information Form (SIF) and a Diocesan Priest’s Reference Form. The school notes the SIF is not compulsory, but warns that not completing it places applicants into the lowest category for allocation. In practice, families who want their application considered within Catholic priority categories should be ready to complete these forms and secure the required evidence within the timetable.

Because admissions outcomes in London can be sensitive to distance and category, families shortlisting Newman should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check realistic travel distances and compare options across Brent, including other Catholic schools where relevant.

For sixth form, the school routes applicants via its own application process rather than the Year 7 coordinated route. In addition to application forms, families should look closely at minimum entry requirements for specific courses and ask how internal progression is handled, including the extent to which existing Year 11 students stay on compared with external joiners.

Newman’s pastoral narrative is consistent across the school site and inspection evidence: relationships, visible staff presence, and clear behaviour norms.

The 2022 inspection describes students who behave well, are polite and respectful, and report very little bullying. It also notes that students feel confident staff will deal with problems quickly, including through established reporting routes. The safeguarding section is similarly clear: the arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff training, reporting routines, and multi-agency work referenced explicitly.

A separate but related strength is the way wellbeing and safety themes are built into the personal, social and health education programme, supported by dedicated days away from timetable. Newman’s Drop Down Days are described as off-timetable days designed to strengthen practical application of skills and broader wellbeing. For many families, this kind of structured space can reduce pressure and improve engagement, especially for students who struggle with sustained classroom learning.

Where families should be thoughtful is the consistency of support for students with SEND. The inspection evidence suggests strong leadership intent but uneven implementation at the time, which makes it important to ask current, specific questions: how learning plans are shared, how staff are trained, and how the newer specialist provision is used day to day.

Newman does not position extracurricular as a glossy add-on. Instead, it tends to frame enrichment as a blend of wellbeing, belonging, and employability.

A good example is the Work Ready programme for 16 to 18 year olds. It runs alongside studies and is structured around placements, employer references, CV and interview workshops, and visits and speakers. The published description includes an October start and July finish, and placements delivered as four consecutive Fridays each month with a six hour day. The implication is clear: students who learn best by doing can gain confidence, professional habits, and a credible CV while still in education.

You can see the same practical lens in the published Extended School Activities schedule. Alongside staples like Chess Club and Choir, there are targeted academic support options (DT Homework and Coursework Club, RE Homework Club and Philosophy Club on alternating weeks), and structured civic or leadership strands such as Student Council and Friday Foodbank. This is a school that treats participation as part of its core offer, not something reserved for a minority.

There are also subject-specific opportunities that feel genuinely distinctive. Journalism Club is one of the clearest examples: it runs weekly after school and has previously brought in external speakers from university and media settings, including BBC Radio 3. For a student who enjoys writing, debate, and current affairs, that kind of club can create a sense of identity and direction that exam timetables alone rarely deliver.

Sport appears in the schedule as well, including football strands linked with external partners, plus activities such as basketball coaching. Families should ask how sport is structured for different levels, as Newman’s context suggests it may function as both recreation and engagement, rather than a purely competitive pathway.

The published school day runs from 8.45am registration through to a 3.05pm finish, with five lessons and a break and lunch built in. Wraparound style provision exists in the form of Breakfast Club, and the library is shown as open from 7.30am to 8.25am for homework, study, research and reading, with additional after-school library opening for study.

The same schedule shows the chapel open at breaks, which is a practical indicator of how Catholic life is integrated into routine rather than kept to occasional events. For transport, families in London typically factor in bus travel and the Zip card eligibility that applies to many secondary-age students, which the school itself references in admissions guidance.

Because the site serves an urban London area, families should also consider how travel time will affect participation in after-school activities. A student who stays for clubs, mentoring, or study sessions will need a workable route home, and this can be as important as the timetable on paper.

• Academic outcomes are currently below England average. GCSE performance sits in the bottom 40% of schools on FindMySchool’s England ranking measure, and Progress 8 is -0.21, so families should ask detailed questions about subject-level improvement and what support looks like for students who arrive behind.

• English and reading strategy deserves scrutiny. The 2022 inspection highlighted curriculum ambition and sequencing issues in key stage 3 English, including limited opportunities to read whole plays, so ask what has changed since then and how reading stamina is built across subjects.

• Catholic admissions require paperwork and planning. Newman’s admissions guidance places real weight on the Supplementary Information Form and priest reference process for practising Catholic priority, and warns that not completing the SIF puts applicants into the lowest category.

• Boys-only main school, mixed sixth form. This suits some families very well, but it is a meaningful cultural shift at 16, so ask how the sixth form community is integrated and how pastoral support adapts for a broader cohort.

Newman Catholic College is a community-focused Catholic school that leans hard into safety, relationships, and practical progression, with a sixth form offer shaped by careers guidance and structured employer engagement. The 2022 inspection evidence supports a calm, respectful environment and effective safeguarding, and recent capital investment in SEND space signals ongoing development.

Best suited to families who want a Catholic framework within a diverse intake, and who value structured support, enrichment, and employability pathways alongside the academic curriculum. The key challenge is ensuring the academic trajectory matches your child’s needs, particularly for literacy and English, so shortlisting should include careful questioning at open events and a realistic comparison against other Brent options using FindMySchool’s tools.