St Augustine's Catholic School - a Catholic voluntary academy Review 2026: Catholic secondary in Scarborough with calm routines and strong personal development

A smaller 11 to 16 secondary with a clear Catholic identity, this Scarborough academy puts daily routine and relationships at the centre of school life. The rhythm of the day is structured, starting with registration and pastoral time before five taught lessons, and expectations around behaviour are explicit and consistent. Academic outcomes sit in line with the middle 35% of schools in England, alongside above average progress from students’ starting points. Families who want a faith shaped culture, a visible chaplaincy presence, and a school that takes personal development seriously will find plenty to like, while those seeking an in house sixth form will need a separate plan for post 16.

The school’s mission statement is not treated as decorative. Catholic life is built into everyday experience, through the chapel, prayer, form time routines, and a chaplaincy programme that includes Mass and services across the liturgical year. The chaplaincy team also includes visiting clergy, and the chapel is presented as a central space for reflection rather than an occasional backdrop.

There is also a clear emphasis on students’ confidence in discussing contemporary issues. Students are encouraged to debate complex themes in a structured, safe setting, which links the school’s stated values to practical classroom culture and personal development.

Leadership information has shifted in recent years. The current headteacher listed on official records is Miss Rosa Flanagan, and the school website presents her as leading the school.

This is a school where results are best understood as solid rather than stratospheric, with progress adding an important part of the picture.

Ranked 1619th in England and 2nd in Scarborough for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), performance sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). That typically translates to a school doing a good job for a broad ability intake, with outcomes that compare reasonably to similar schools, without being a results outlier.

At GCSE level, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 48.8. Progress is a comparative strength, with a Progress 8 score of 0.22, indicating students make above average progress across eight subjects from their starting points.

EBacc indicators suggest a more selective pattern in how the EBacc pathway lands for students. The proportion achieving grade 5 or above across the EBacc measures is 16.9, and the average EBacc points score is 4.31. Those figures point to a school where the EBacc route may suit some students well, but it is unlikely to dominate the experience for everyone, so families who want a strong languages and humanities pathway should ask how subject options are structured in Key Stage 4.

The curriculum is presented as broad and deliberately sequenced. Curriculum planning is designed to create links between subject areas, so that learning in one classroom supports learning in another, rather than each department operating in isolation. A practical example is the way mathematics content is aligned to related learning in design and technology.

Reading is treated as a whole school priority rather than an English department concern. Structured support is in place for students who struggle with reading, and the school promotes a reading culture through organised activities that make reading visible across year groups. The library plays a central role in this, positioned as both a reading space and a practical learning hub with an IT facility and an events area.

Teaching is also described as having strong subject knowledge and clear explanations. The area to watch is consistency in how assessment is used in the classroom. When checking understanding is uneven, misconceptions can sit unnoticed for longer than they should, which can slow progress for students who need more timely correction.

SEND support is framed as inclusive and covering a broad profile of needs, including speech and language, autism, moderate learning difficulties, specific learning difficulties, sensory or physical needs, and social, emotional and mental health. The key teaching challenge identified is not the presence of support in principle, but making sure classroom tasks are consistently well matched for students with SEND so they can move through the curriculum at the same pace as peers.

With an age range that ends at 16, transition planning after GCSE is part of the core offer rather than a secondary add on. Careers education is organised as a whole school programme, including employability skills and one to one interviews. This matters because students need to choose between sixth form, further education, technical routes, and apprenticeships without the default of staying on site.

Encounters with employers and providers are made concrete through named participation in events, including industry and engineering linked organisations as well as higher education links such as CU Scarborough and the University of Hull. For many students, that breadth of exposure reduces the risk of post 16 choices being driven by hearsay or peer pressure. It also supports families who want a balanced discussion of academic and technical pathways, rather than an implied hierarchy of routes.

Faith life also shapes how students experience service and leadership. The Catholic Schools Inspectorate report dated June 2025 describes Catholic life and mission as outstanding, with examples that include charity activity and structured opportunities for students to participate in wider Catholic service experiences.

Admission is coordinated through the local authority, with the academy’s published admission number set at 120 for entry to Year 7 in September 2026.

As a Catholic academy, oversubscription criteria prioritise Catholic looked after and previously looked after children, then other Catholic children, followed by wider categories including other looked after children, catechumens and members of an Eastern Christian Church, siblings, children of staff, and then other faith and non faith applicants. Distance is used as the tie break, measured by the shortest walking route to the school’s main entrance.

Families applying under faith related criteria are expected to complete a supplementary information form with evidence by the published closing date, otherwise the application is considered under other categories, which can materially affect priority.

For September 2026 entry (children born 1 September 2014 to 31 August 2015), North Yorkshire’s published coordinated admissions timeline states that the application round opens 12 September 2025, the deadline to apply is 31 October 2025, changes are accepted until 30 November 2025, and National Offer Day is 2 March 2026.

Given the role of distance and the layered faith criteria, parents should use the FindMySchoolMap Search to check their practical proximity, and then sense check that against the admissions policy categories that apply to their child.

The daily structure is built around a clear pastoral spine. Registration and pastoral time sit at the start of the day, with additional assemblies across the week, giving regular, planned touchpoints between staff and students.

Pastoral leadership is organised by year group, with named Heads of Year, and families are directed to form tutors as a first line of contact for routine concerns. The school also points parents to wider support services, including signposted access to school nursing support.

Behaviour expectations are positioned as consistent rather than reactive. Low level disruption is described as rare, and routines are designed to keep classrooms settled so learning time is protected. The school’s approach to personal development includes explicit teaching on healthy relationships and online and offline safety, which supports wellbeing in a practical, curriculum linked way rather than relying on occasional assemblies.

Clubs matter most when they are specific and accessible, and here the offer is built into lunchtime as well as after school so students can participate without relying on late pickups.

The enrichment timetable includes activities such as Orchestra (Key Stage 3), Faith in Action Team, Chess Club, Crochet Club, Lego club, Book Clubs, Latin Club, Maths Challenge, Choir, Musical Theatre, Coding Club, Eco Team, Gardening, and Dance Club. Sport options in the same schedule include year group netball and basketball, plus Weights and Fitness. The breadth gives different student types a realistic route into belonging, whether their confidence sits in performance, making, service, or sport.

Academic support is also explicit. A published Year 11 timetable shows structured subject revision sessions across the week, including English, mathematics, history, modern foreign languages, and other GCSE linked sessions, which helps students who want routine and accountability in the run up to exams.

Music participation is supported through peripatetic tuition, with provision listed for strings, brass, woodwind, singing, piano or keyboard, and guitar or bass. That type of menu helps families with a practical question, can my child continue an instrument, without needing to start from scratch elsewhere.

The teaching day runs from 8.50am registration and pastoral time to a 3.20pm finish after five lessons, with morning break and a midday lunch period. Reception opening hours are published separately for administrative access during the week.

For travel, the school promotes active travel and provides a covered cycle shelter. Public transport information includes bus routes that stop directly outside the school or nearby, and Scarborough railway station is described as roughly a 30 minute walk or under 10 minutes by cycle, supporting families commuting across the town. Parking expectations are also made clear, with an emphasis on legal parking and reduced congestion at pick up.

As an 11 to 16 school, there is no sixth form on site. Families should plan early for post 16 travel patterns and applications, using the careers programme as a structured way to compare local and regional options.

• Faith based priority can shape admissions. The oversubscription criteria prioritise Catholic applicants when places are tight, and families using faith criteria need to meet supplementary evidence requirements by the published deadline. This can make outcomes feel binary for non Catholic families in high demand years.

• Assessment consistency is an improvement focus. Classroom checking for understanding is not always used consistently, which can delay identifying gaps and misconceptions. Families may want to ask how feedback routines work in core subjects, particularly in Key Stage 4.

• SEND classroom matching is a specific teaching priority. While the school positions itself as inclusive, tasks are not always well matched to pupils with SEND in every lesson, which can slow curriculum progress. Ask how subject teachers adapt tasks, and what the expected support pathway looks like for your child.

• Post 16 transition is unavoidable. With education ending at 16, every family must plan a move to sixth form, college, or training, and should treat Year 10 and Year 11 careers activity as a core part of preparation.

St Augustine's Catholic School - a Catholic voluntary academy is best understood as a structured, values led 11 to 16, with a calm behavioural culture, a clear chaplaincy presence, and a serious approach to personal development. GCSE outcomes sit in line with the middle of England schools overall, with above average progress adding a positive dimension for families focused on how far students move rather than raw attainment alone. Best suited to families who want a Catholic ethos that is visible day to day, alongside predictable routines and a school that actively prepares students for post 16 choices away from the site. Securing entry, and planning the post 16 move, are the main practical challenges.