Question 1

How many places are available each year?

Accepted Answer

The school’s Nursery has a capacity for 26 full-time equivalent places.

The school’s Published Admission Number (PAN) is 30 pupils in Reception.

Classes from Reception to Year 6 are organised with a maximum of 30 children per class, in line with infant class size regulations.

The school’s total capacity is 210 pupils.

Question 2

Does my child have to be Catholic to attend St Catherine’s?

Accepted Answer

No. St Catherine’s is a Catholic school, and priority is given to Catholic children if the school is oversubscribed. However, children of other Christian denominations, other faiths, and families of no faith are very welcome to apply.

All families are asked to support and respect the Catholic ethos and values of the school.

Question 3

Do parents have to be Catholic?

Accepted Answer

No. While the school was founded to serve Catholic families, parents and carers do not have to be Catholic for their child to be admitted. What matters most is a willingness to support the school’s ethos, values and community life.

Question 4

Will I have to pay anything towards my child’s education at St Catherine’s?

Accepted Answer

No. There are no tuition fees at St Catherine’s Catholic Primary School.

Like all schools, there may be optional costs for things such as school lunches, uniform, wraparound childcare, or contributions towards trips and enrichment activities. Some residential or overseas trips (for example, an upper key stage visit to France) may also involve a parental contribution.

The school receives Pupil Premium funding for children who are eligible for Free School Meals (FSM), which is used to help support learning and wider opportunities. No child will ever be excluded from school life because of financial circumstances, and families are encouraged to speak to the school confidentially if cost is ever a concern.

Question 5

Does it matter where we live?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but only if the school is oversubscribed.

St Catherine’s serves the parishes of St Dominic’s, Shieldfield and The Holy Name, Jesmond. When there are more applications than places available, children living within these parishes may be given priority in line with the school’s published admissions criteria.

If the school is not oversubscribed, children may be admitted regardless of where they live. In practice, families typically live within a reasonable travelling distance of the school.

Question 6

If my child already has a sibling at the school, does that give them an advantage?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If your child has a sibling attending St Catherine’s at the time of admission, this increases priority within each admissions category. Sibling priority does not override the admissions criteria, but it is taken into account when places are allocated.

Question 7

How do I apply for a place for my child at St Catherine’s?

Accepted Answer

Nursery places: applications are made directly to the school.

Reception and in-year places: applications must be made through your home local authority using the Common Application Form (CAF).

For families living in Newcastle, applications are made via Newcastle City Council.

For in-year applications outside the main admissions round:
 • If your child does not currently attend a Newcastle school, contact the Newcastle City Council Admissions Team for guidance (email: admissions.information@newcastle.gov.uk or telephone: 0191 278 7878).
 • If your child already attends a Newcastle school, applications are usually made directly to St Catherine’s using the school’s in-year application process.

Question 8

When do applications open and close?

Accepted Answer

• Applications usually open in the autumn term
 • Closing dates are in January
 • National Offer Day is 16 April, or the next working day if this falls on a weekend or bank holiday

Exact dates are confirmed each year by the local authority and are set out in the school’s published admissions policy.

Question 9

Does it matter how I rank St Catherine’s on my application form?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You should list schools on your application in your true order of preference. If your child is eligible for more than one school and more than one school can offer a place, the local authority will offer the school you ranked highest.

Your order of preference is confidential and is not shared with schools.

Question 10

When do children start Nursery?

Accepted Answer

Children are typically admitted to Nursery in the September after their third birthday.

The Nursery has a capacity of 26 full-time equivalent places. Admissions outside of the September intake may be considered where spaces are available, but this cannot be guaranteed and is at the discretion of the Governing Committee.

Attendance at the Nursery does not automatically guarantee a place in Reception.

Question 11

When do children start Reception?

Accepted Answer

Children are normally admitted to Reception in the September following their fourth birthday.

Parents may choose to:
 • Defer entry until later in the school year (but not beyond compulsory school age), or
 • Request part-time attendance initially.

Question 12

How are places allocated if the school is oversubscribed?

Accepted Answer

Places are allocated in line with the school’s published admissions policy, which prioritises:
 • Looked after and previously looked after children
 • Catholic children (particularly those living in the parish)
 • Siblings of children already attending the school
 • Children of other faiths and families of no faith

Where necessary, distance from the school is used as a tie-breaker.

Question 13

What happens if I don’t get a place?

Accepted Answer

If your application is unsuccessful, you have the statutory right of appeal to an independent appeal panel. You can also ask for your child’s name to be placed on the waiting list, which is ranked according to the admissions criteria, not by date of application.

Question 14

Can I apply for a place outside the normal admissions round?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can apply for an in-year transfer at any time if you are moving school or moving into the area. Places are offered if spaces are available. If the year group is full, you may request to be added to the waiting list and will have the right of appeal.

Question 15

Who decides the admissions policy?

Accepted Answer

Bishop Bewick 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.

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ADMISSIONS - FAQs

St CATHERINE's Catholic Primary School

Greystoke Gardens, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 1PS

0191 232 6803
office@stcatherinesnewcastle.org

Catholic Education in the North of the
Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle

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