Best secondary schools in Newcastle upon Tyne (2026)
Newcastle upon Tyne has 10 ranked secondary schools with published results. The top-ranked is St Mary's Catholic School, in the top 12% in England. The average Attainment 8 here in 2025 was 43.8, against 46.1 for England. 0 are in England's top 10%, and 1 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted. Newcastle upon Tyne has no grammar schools.
| Rank | School | Attainment 8 (2023–2025 average) | Attainment 8 2025 | Trend | Grade 5+ Eng & maths | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Top 12% in England |
St Mary's Catholic School Newcastle upon Tyne · Roman Catholic |
56.9 | 58.9 | 69% | Outstanding | |
2 Top 14% in England |
Gosforth Academy Newcastle upon Tyne |
55.5 | 54.4 | 63% | Good | |
3 Top 20% in England |
Sacred Heart Catholic High School Newcastle upon Tyne · Girls · Roman Catholic |
54.2 | 52.1 | 54% | Not judged | |
4 Top 31% in England |
Jesmond Park Academy Newcastle upon Tyne |
50.0 | 51.4 | 55% | Good | |
5 Top 49% in England |
St Cuthbert's High School Newcastle upon Tyne · Boys · Roman Catholic |
46.8 | 49.0 | 52% | Good | |
6 Bottom 16% in England |
Kenton School Newcastle upon Tyne |
37.7 | 38.7 | 40% | Not judged | |
7 Bottom 5% in England |
Walker Riverside Academy Newcastle upon Tyne |
35.3 | 35.5 | 22% | Not judged | |
8 Bottom 4% in England |
Benfield School Newcastle upon Tyne |
33.1 | 33.5 | 24% | Not judged | |
9 Bottom 2% in England |
Excelsior Academy Newcastle upon Tyne |
31.8 | 33.4 | 24% | Requires improvement | |
10 Bottom 1% in England |
Studio West Newcastle upon Tyne |
29.0 | 30.9 | 28% | Not judged |
Other towns in Tyne and Wear
Also see
Questions
What is the best secondary school in Newcastle upon Tyne?
On exam results over the last three years, St Mary's Catholic School is the top-ranked secondary school in Newcastle upon Tyne, in the top 12% of schools in England.
How are the schools ranked?
By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.