Cardinal Newman School Warrington anyone?

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

I know it is massively premature, but, having looked at the website of this school and the oftsteds, we have decided we would like dd to attend. I am flying to England in a couple of weeks time to look for a house in the catchment area. Can anyone who knows this school let me know if it really is as rosy as it's painted?

I don't have any personal knowledge of this school but I work nearby and I would say that the behaviour of the young people from that school is better compared to the other high school in Latchford.

If you are looking for a Catholic High school then St Gregory's in Penketh has a better reputation and better results.

Other good high schools in Warrington are Bridgewater High and Lymm High-not Catholic though.

Hopefully someone else may have some inside knowledge of Cardinal Newman!

Another thing you need to consider is that generally in Warrington it's important to attend one of the feeder primary schools-this comes high on the list of criteria for entry.

Distance from the school only usually comes into play if it is oversubscribed with children from feeder primaries/siblings etc.

Could be different for faith schools though so best to check.

We've been looking at houses in the catchement area of a couple of feeder schools. It's really hard work to try to decided where to live. We are moving to Belgium for a year (me and dd) dh will stay on another year. Me and dd will return to the UK for her last year of primary. I suppose I'll have to try to enrol her while I'm over. This is all new territory for me, she's always gone to dh's school so no form filling required.

Well I have to say that the GCSE's results are much better than I would have expected, looks like they got 61% passing 5 GCSE's which puts them mid-table for Warrington I think. I have to admit I have no first hand experience of the school but I do know it's not got a fantastic reputation here. Until recently the catholic primary feeder school for it here (Stockton Heath/Appleton) had a real problem getting parents to send children onto CNH. I think that may be starting to change a little now and their GCSE results have certainly improved quite drastically in only a few years so something good must be happening there. I did have a quick look on the on-line local paper but the most recent news story for CNH was reporting how they topped the "temporary expulsion table" for this LEA!

If you want any more info on the area/local schools etc just shout, I have 3 kids in a local primary school and am just starting to look at secondary schools as DS1 will move up in 2011.

I have experience of Lymm High School as one DD went there and one DS is there now. Its a very good school academically and for its extra curricular activities. You'd need to have child in a feeder primary and even then I think not all can go to LHS though. Grappenhall Primary have to split where they send their year I think. If you need more info just say on here.

St Gregorys,Great Sankey(it is not in Penketh) would be my preferred choice of secondary school especially if you don't have a property at the moment and can look at getting a property within that area-

Whittle Hall is very nice,around Barbondale etc but I personally don't like the new estate just built(all american street names- as it used to be the american base burtonwood)as it's too large

Good luck (ps if you want a copy/ies of the local paper keeping just give me a shout)

Thanks for all your input. Chatee, I'm just going to look at property in Gt. Sankey. It is so hard trying to decide if you'll like an area when you haven't even seen it.
Thanks again.

if you see any areas within great sankey just give me a shout and i'll give you my local opinion

i know it's hard to make decisions that are so big-we are trying to move to that area(hometown-parents and family still there-visit at least once a month)

and we would only move within st gregorys or great sankey high catchment area

hth

f you need any info re Lymm please also contact me - its really an outstanding school but I realise you might want the Catholic element.

I went to Cardinal Newman (warrington) They kicked me out last year, i had three teachers call me stupid, thick a low life saying im never getting anywhere in life. i got bullied and they did not do anything about it until my mum went in a kicked off, that school is horrible! it isnt a school to send kids to get a bright future they kicked me out, sent me home my 9am and i hated that school i stopped going in because of the teachers and students in there. when the offsted came in the would;nt let me in classrooms or and lessons because i'd give them a bad name, please do not send your kids there just dont its the best thing you could possibly do.