Cardinal Newman Catholic School A Specialist Science College
Secondary · Academy converter · Ages 11–18 · Luton
Last distance offered · Year 7 2026
Every applicant was offered a place
From Luton Borough Council · offers on 2 March 2026
2025 figure 🔒
Nearby schools' earlier years 🔒
Cardinal Newman Catholic School A Specialist Science College is a secondary school in Luton for ages 11–18 (academy converter). Its latest Ofsted outcome is School remains Good, from the inspection on 22 May 2024. Luton has published a last distance offered for this school for Year 7 2025 to 2026 entry.
Cardinal Newman Catholic School A Specialist Science College catchment area: last distance offered
Parents often call this the catchment area: it's how far from the school the last child offered a place lived. It changes every year.
| Entry | Last distance offered |
|---|---|
| Year 7 2026 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Year 7 2025 | 🔒 With a pass |
What the pass includes · How to read it: one past year, not a catchment
What the figures show
- There were 250 first-choice applications for 261 offers for Year 7 in 2026; 235 offers went to first-choice families, while 15 first-choice families were not offered a place.
- 17.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, against a middle figure of 32.1% across the 8 nearest secondary schools in Luton.
- There are 18.5 pupils per teacher, against a middle figure of 16.4 across the 8 nearest secondary schools in Luton.
- 2024/25 GCSE English and maths: 46% got grade 5 or above (England 45%), the 4th lowest of 9 schools: this one and the 8 nearest secondary schools in Luton.
Worked out by Catchmently from the published figures on this page and those for other Luton schools. Distances are as published; how they were measured differs between admission authorities.
Key facts
- Address
- Warden Hill Road, Luton, LU2 7AE
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Secondary
- Ages
- 11–18
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Council
- Luton
- Pupils on roll
- 1,655 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 17.7% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 18.5
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
School remains Good Inspected 22 May 2024
Strengths
- “Pupils feel valued, whatever their background, within the Catholic identity of this school.”
- “Staff know pupils well and pupils know that staff are there to help them.”
- “This helps pupils to feel happy and safe.”
To improve
- “On occasions, pupils do not have the chance to extend and deepen what they learn.”
- “This can limit how well pupils learn more complex ideas.”
- “In a few instances, some staff do not routinely provide activities to enable pupils to engage in deeper discussion or explore learning in more depth.”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 24 June 2024 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| GCSE English and maths, grade 5 or above (2024/25) | 46% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 score (2024/25) | 50 | 46 |
| A level average grade (2024/25) | B- | B- |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Year 7 entry: 250 first-preference applications, 261 offers in total, 235 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Nearby secondary schools
Straight-line distance, in Luton.
- Icknield High School 1.0 mi Good Last distance published
- Lea Manor High School 1.2 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Stopsley High School 1.6 mi Good Last distance published
- Lealands High School 2.0 mi Good Last distance published
- Denbigh High School 2.1 mi Outstanding Last distance published
- Putteridge High School 2.1 mi Improved significantly Last distance published
- Challney High School for Girls 2.5 mi Standards maintained Last distance published
- Challney High School for Boys 2.6 mi Outstanding Last distance published