Welcome to St Robert of Newminster Catholic School and Sixth Form College. We are an 11-18 mixed Catholic Academy with over 1,600 students on roll. The school serves the Catholic parishes in Washington, Birtley, Penshaw, Houghton and Hetton. It is situated in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle. We are part of the Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust, along with our five feeder primary schools (St Joseph’s Washington, St Bede’s, St John Boste, Our Lady Queen of Peace and St Michael’s) as well as a number of other Primary and Secondary Catholic Schools in both Gateshead and County Durham.

St Robert’s enjoys an excellent local and regional reputation. Our positive Catholic ethos, integral to all that we do, provides the basis for the highest standards of care, relationships and academic achievement. We are proud of the school’s place within the local community and we provide a caring, inclusive, challenging and supportive environment for young people of all abilities so that they may flourish and achieve excellence. A varied curriculum provides academic success and a wide range of activities, including music, art, drama and sport.

We are committed in our drive to achieve the very best for our students in terms of their learning, achievement, enrichment and their spiritual formation.

Our focus on high quality teaching throughout the school provides a stimulating and challenging classroom experience, backed up by a strong pastoral system.

The school has high expectations of behaviour and our calm, purposeful atmosphere of learning allows students to develop the attitudes, skills and knowledge required to be successful independent learners.

The school provides a well-considered and highly effective Transition Project to assist students in their move from their primary school setting to our secondary school. Parents are very much part of this process. Indeed, our relationship with parents is vital throughout a student’s time at the school, as we seek to work in partnership with home.

In 2010 we completed a £13 million build and refurbishment programme and it has ensured the whole school is fully integrated and is able to offer well-resourced specialist areas throughout all areas of the school.

Our goal is to help our students develop into well-rounded and well-educated young people with a strong set of values and morals. We aim to provide the highest quality of academic education, alongside the opportunity to grow spiritually, personally and socially. These high ideals have meant that the school is consistently over-subscribed for admissions both at ages 11 (Year 7) and 16 (Sixth Form). If you wish to apply for a place for your son or daughter at St Robert’s, please follow the Local Authority Admissions Guidelines. If you would like to visit the school as part of that process, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to welcoming both you and your children.

Mr D Juric
Headteacher