St Robert of Newminster Catholic School and Sixth Form College Review 2026, Catholic comprehensive with a large sixth form in Washington

A large, mixed 11 to 18 Catholic comprehensive, St Robert of Newminster combines calm routines with a clear faith and values framework. The motto, Sic Luceat Lux Vestra (Let your light shine), is used as a practical organising idea rather than a decorative slogan, with shared expectations around conduct and contribution.

Leadership is structured across the trust and school. Chris Hammill is Executive Headteacher, having taken up that role from 01 February 2025, while Dean Juric is Headteacher and has been in post since at least early 2017.

The school day runs 08.50 to 15.20, with consistent lesson timing across the main school and sixth form, which helps families juggling different year groups.

The tone is purposeful and structured. Behaviour is framed around a published “gold standard” set of expectations, and the emphasis is on predictable routines that reduce low level disruption and keep lessons moving. That is most noticeable in corridors and shared spaces, where the stated aim is courteous conduct and swift resolution when things go wrong.

Catholic identity is explicit. The school describes itself as serving Catholic parishes across Washington and surrounding areas, and its published values place faith and vocation alongside academic aspiration and integrity. For families who want a clearly Catholic environment, this is not subtle. For families who prefer a more neutral approach, it will feel prominent in daily language and the rhythm of school life.

The physical site is modern by local standards rather than heritage-led. A diocesan inspection report notes the school building dates from 1970, with refurbishment and new build work completed in 2010. The same report describes a chapel positioned at the heart of the school, which matters because it signals how the school wants faith to sit alongside mainstream curriculum and pastoral systems.

At GCSE, performance sits above the England average range on several headline measures. The Attainment 8 score is 52, and Progress 8 is 0.13, indicating students make slightly above average progress from their starting points.

On the English Baccalaureate indicators, 30.3% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above across the EBacc, while the school’s EBacc average point score is 4.75, compared with an England figure of 4.08.

Rankings, based on FindMySchool’s proprietary analysis of official outcomes data, place the school 1,008th in England for GCSE outcomes and 1st in Washington locally. This positions it above the England average, within the top 25% of schools in England for this measure.

At A-level, outcomes are more middle-of-the-pack nationally, with some signs of strength at the A* to B range. A* grades account for 3.23%; A grades 17.03%; B grades 30.11%; and A* to B combined 50.36%. The England benchmark for A* to B is 47.2%.

Rankings for sixth form outcomes place the school 1,262nd in England and 1st in Washington locally, again using FindMySchool’s proprietary ranking methodology based on official data. In plain terms, this sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England for this measure (25th to 60th percentile).

Curriculum design is described, in official reporting, as carefully sequenced across subjects. One concrete example highlighted is technology, where students build engineering capability from Year 7, moving from basic drawing skills towards more complex, software-based design by the end of Year 9. That matters for parents because it signals cumulative teaching rather than isolated projects.

Subject delivery is supported by consistent routines and behaviour expectations, which tends to help students who benefit from clarity and repetition. Reading support is also described as structured, with targeted help for those who need to catch up.

For Catholic families, the denominational inspection provides another lens on teaching quality in Religious Education. In November 2024, the Catholic Schools Inspectorate graded Religious Education as Outstanding (grade 1), alongside an overall effectiveness grade of Good (grade 2) for Catholic education.

Where Students Go Next

The sixth form is sizeable, with published materials referencing over 400 students. That scale usually enables a broader subject mix and a fuller pastoral and careers structure than smaller sixth forms can offer.

Destination data for the 2023/24 leavers cohort shows 54% progressed to university, 10% started apprenticeships, 20% moved into employment, and 2% progressed to further education. The cohort size is 206 students.

Oxbridge entry is present but modest in absolute numbers. In the measurement period 14 students applied to Oxford or Cambridge, three received offers, and one secured a place. For academically ambitious students, this suggests Oxbridge support exists, but outcomes are likely concentrated in a small group rather than representing a dominant pathway.

The school also references tailored support for competitive routes such as medicine and Oxford or Cambridge preparation, including workshops and a residential element, although it does not publish a full statistical breakdown for Russell Group destinations.

Year 7 admissions are coordinated through Sunderland City Council’s secondary admissions process, with a published timetable for September 2026 entry. The preference window opens on 08 September 2025 and closes on 31 October 2025. National offer day is 01 March 2026 (or the next working day).

As a Catholic school, the published admissions policy sets out faith-based oversubscription criteria when applications exceed places. In practice, families considering Year 7 entry should expect the supplementary faith evidence requirements to matter, and should read the school’s policy alongside the local authority guidance to avoid missed paperwork.

Sixth form admissions are handled directly by the school and are open to students from other schools. The school advertises specific sixth form engagement events for applicants, including a “Sixth Form Team Evening: 2026 Applications” on 03 December, 17.00 to 18.00. Where exact application deadlines are not clearly published for September 2026 entry, families should treat autumn and spring of Year 11 as the decision window and check the school’s updates.

If you are comparing multiple Sunderland-area secondaries, FindMySchool’s Local Hub comparison tool can help you view GCSE and sixth form measures side-by-side, rather than relying on headline reputations.

Pastoral work is structured through consistent behaviour routines and clear expectations that are repeatedly referenced in published materials. The intent is to reduce uncertainty for students, which can be particularly helpful in the transition from primary, and for students who need predictable boundaries.

Support for students with special educational needs is described as integrated into mainstream teaching, with staff given information about individual targets to help students access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. A stated area to sharpen is the precision of some monitoring and matching of strategies to need, which is useful context for families whose child requires carefully tailored interventions.

In the denominational inspection, pastoral care is described as a notable strength within the Catholic life and mission framework, alongside social action and service, which will matter to families who see character formation as part of wellbeing rather than a separate add-on.

Co-curricular life is organised as a programme rather than an informal set of clubs. The published overview includes named music and performance options such as KS3 and KS4 Choir, Wind Band, Rock School, and Drama Club, alongside sport and study support.

There is also clear evidence of “smaller-niche” activities that often appeal to students who are less drawn to traditional sports. The Autumn co-curricular schedule includes Dungeons & Dragons / Warhammer, Film Club, and a religious education craft club labelled cREate, as well as lunchtime table tennis and homework club provision.

For sixth formers, enrichment links to leadership and competitive progression. Published materials refer to mentoring, a medical club, and sixth form leadership opportunities, plus programmes such as The Scholars Programme (delivered with The Brilliant Club) and stretch-and-challenge provision that includes an Oxford summer school residential element.

The implication for families is that participation does not rely on a single “type” of student. Sport-focused students can pursue a dual pathway, including an accreditation linked to the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme initiative, while academically inclined students have structured extensions, and creative students have named ensembles and productions to anchor the year.

The school day is published as 08.50 registration, then lessons through to a 15.20 finish. Sixth form follows the same overall finish time, with a structured lesson pattern and defined break and lunch windows.

Transport support is unusually explicit. The school publishes dedicated bus service information, including morning arrivals before registration, which is useful for families travelling across Washington and neighbouring areas. For drivers, official teacher training placement information indicates on-site parking with a designated visitor area.

Before and after-school care is not presented as a primary-phase wraparound model, and the school does not position itself as offering extended-hours childcare. Families who need structured supervision beyond the published day should ask directly what is available for their year group, and whether clubs provide sufficient coverage on key days.

• Catholic admissions criteria. Faith-based oversubscription criteria and paperwork can be decisive when the school is oversubscribed. Families should read the admissions policy early and track Sunderland’s application deadlines closely.

• Sixth form outcomes are mixed nationally. A-level performance sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England on the FindMySchool ranking, even though the A* to B picture is slightly above the England benchmark. Students aiming for the very top grade profile should ask detailed questions about subject-level outcomes and support.

• SEND monitoring precision. Official reporting highlights strong intent and mainstream access, but also notes that some monitoring lacks precision, which is relevant for families seeking highly individualised planning.

• Timings for sixth form applications can be unclear. The school promotes sixth form entry events, but does not always publish a single deadline page for September entry. Treat autumn and spring of Year 11 as the key decision window and watch for updates.

A structured, values-led Catholic comprehensive with a large sixth form and a clear emphasis on consistent routines. GCSE outcomes sit above the England average range and place the school comfortably within the top quarter of schools in England on the FindMySchool measure, while sixth form performance is more mixed nationally. Best suited to families who want an explicitly Catholic setting, calm behavioural expectations, and a broad co-curricular offer that includes both mainstream and niche activities.

For families shortlisting, the Saved Schools feature on FindMySchool can help you keep track of deadlines and compare this option against other Sunderland-area secondaries without losing key details.