Admission to Secondary School (2025)

Cardinal Hume Catholic School Sixth Form was founded by the Catholic Church to provide education for students of Catholic families. Whenever there are more applications than places available, priority will be given to Catholic students in accordance with the oversubscription criteria listed below. The school1 is conducted by the Catholic Education Trust as part of the Catholic Church in accordance with its trust deed and articles of association and seeks at all times to be a witness to Our Lord Jesus Christ.

As a Catholic school, we aim to provide a Catholic education for all our pupils. At a Catholic school, Catholic doctrine and practice permeate every aspect of the school's activity. It is essential that the Catholic character of the school's education be fully supported by all families in the school. We therefore hope that all parents will give their full, unreserved and positive support for the aims and ethos of the school. This does not affect the right of an applicant who is not Catholic to apply for and be admitted to a place at the school in accordance with the admission arrangements.

The admission policy criteria will be dealt with on an equal preference basis.

Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust is the admissions authority and is responsible for determining the admission policy. The local authority coordinates the admissions process on behalf of the Trust. The administration and operation of the admission policy is delegated by the Trust to the Local Governing Committee.

Parishes served by the school

• St Alban's, Pelaw
• St Joseph's, Gateshead
• St Wilfrid's, Gateshead
• St Anne's, Harlow Green
• St Peter's, Low Fell
• St Oswald's, Wrekenton
• St Augustine's, Leam Lane
• St Joseph's, Birtley, Kibblesworth & Ouston

View a map of the parish boundaries. (opens new window)

Published admission number

The admissions authority has set its published admission number (PAN) at 80 pupils to year 12 in the school year which begins in September 2025.

Entry requirements

Both internal and external pupils wishing to enter the sixth form will be expected to have met the same minimum academic entry requirements for the sixth form. These are:

1. The minimum entry requirement for admission into year 12 is dependent on the course of study that a student wishes to study
2. The minimum entry requirement for any level 3 course is GCSE English Language at 4 or above with 4 other GCSEs or equivalent at 4 or above
3. For AS/A2 courses the general requirement is a high level 5 or above at GCSE in the subject chosen. In some courses, additional conditions may apply. Applicants may be asked to sit additional assessments or attend an interview to ensure they are suitable for the course/s chosen.
4. For vocational courses, a merit or higher in an appropriate level 2 vocational course is required.

If either internal or external applicants fail to meet the minimum course requirements, they will be given the option of pursuing any alternative courses for which they do meet the minimum academic requirements.

Course requirements are published annually in the school's prospectus and on its website.

When year 12 is undersubscribed all applicants meeting the minimum academic entry requirements will be admitted or permitted to progress.

When there are more external applicants that satisfy any academic entry requirements, priority will be given in accordance with the oversubscription criteria set out below.

Where there is a space in year 13, that is, where there are fewer than 80 pupils in the year group, the school will admit additional pupils up to this number using the oversubscription criteria set out below.

Pupils with an education, health and care plan (see note 1)

The admission of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan is dealt with by a completely separate procedure. Students with an Education, Health and Care Plan that names the school must be admitted. Where this takes place before the allocation of places under these arrangements this will reduce the number of places available to other students.

Oversubscription criteria (for external applicants)

Within each of the categories listed above, the following provisions will be applied in the following order:

1. Where evidence is provided at the time of application of an exceptional social, medical or pastoral need of the child which can be most appropriately met at this school, the application will be placed at the top of the category in which the application is made (see note 11).
2. The attendance of a sibling at the school at the time of enrolment will increase the priority of an application within each category so that the application will be placed at the top of the category in which the application is made after children in (1) above (see note 9).

Tie breaker

In the event of the school reaching capacity within categories 1-8, the school will allocate places using an electronic random allocation process, which will be independently monitored.

If your child is unsuccessful in gaining a place at Cardinal Hume Catholic School, you may request that your child is placed onto the schools waiting list, which will be maintained according to the schools admissions criteria. Within each criterion, students will be ranked by computer in random order.

Each time a place (or places) becomes available at the school while a child is on the waiting list then a new round of electronic random allocation will take place within each category to determine a child's position.

Application procedures and timetable

The sixth form is available for all existing pupils subject to pupils fulfilling the individual requirements of suitable courses. Remaining places in the sixth form of the school will be offered in accordance with the oversubscription criteria, subject to applicants fulfilling the individual requirements of suitable courses.

To apply for a place at this school, the parent must complete an application form available from www.cardinalhume.com/sixth-form/how-to-apply. The parent will be advised of the outcome of the application by the school.

The parent will be advised of the outcome of the application by the school. If the application is unsuccessful the parent will be informed of the decision, related to the oversubscription criteria, and has the right of appeal to an independent appeal panel.

If the parent is required to provide supplemental evidence to support the application (e.g. a baptismal certificate), this evidence should be provided at the time of application. If not provided, evidence may be sought by the admissions authority following the closing date for applications. This information must have been correct at the date of closing for applications.

All applications which are submitted on time will be considered at the same time and after the closing date for admissions which is 31 July 2025.

Late applications

Late applications will be administered in accordance with the home local authority coordinated admissions scheme. Parents are advised to ensure that the application is submitted before the closing date.

Admission of students outside their normal age group

A request may be made for a student to be admitted outside of their normal age group, for example, if the student is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health.

Any such request should be made in writing to the headteacher of the school. The admissions authority will make its decision about the request based on the circumstances of each case and in the best interests of the student. In addition to taking into account the views of the headteacher who has statutory responsibility for the internal organisation, management and control of the school, the admissions authority will take into account the views of the parents and of appropriate medical and education professionals.

Waiting lists

In addition to their right of appeal, applicants will be offered the opportunity to be placed on a waiting list. This waiting list will be maintained in order of the oversubscription criteria set out below and not in the order in which applications are received or added to the list. Waiting lists for admission will operate throughout the school year. The waiting list will be held open until the last day of the summer term. Inclusion on the school's waiting list does not mean that a place will eventually become available.

In-year applications

An application can be made for a place for a student at any time outside the admission round and the student will be admitted where there are available places. Applications should be made to the school by contacting the Admissions Team at Cardinal Hume Catholic School. www.cardinalhume.com.Parents will be advised of the outcome of their application in writing.

Where there are places available but more applications than places, the published oversubscription criteria, as set out above, will be applied. If there are no places available, a request can be made that the student is added to the waiting list (see above). The parent has the right of appeal to an independent appeal panel.

Right of appeal

Where a parent has been notified that a place is not available for a student, every effort will be made by the local authority to help the parent to find a place in a suitable alternative school. Parents who are refused a place have a statutory right of appeal. Further details of the appeals process are available by writing to the chair of governors at the school address.

Fair access protocol

The school is committed to taking its fair share of students who are vulnerable and/or hard to place, as set out in locally agreed protocols. Accordingly, outside the normal admission round the admissions authority is empowered to give absolute priority to a student where admission is requested under any local protocol that has been agreed by both the diocese and the admissions authority for the current school year. The admissions authority has this power, even when admitting the student would mean exceeding the published admission number.

False evidence

The admissions authority reserves the right to withdraw the offer of a place or, where a student is already attending the school, the place itself, where it is satisfied that the offer or place was obtained by deception.

Notes and definitions

Read the relevant notes and definitions for this policy.

This policy should be read in conjunction with the local authority's admission guidance for parents.