Bishop Bewick is one of four Catholic Education Trusts in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle. Our Trust’s origins are modest, a small,  3 school multi-academy Trust (Sacred Heart Partnership of schools), which under the direction of the Diocese in 2020 expanded rapidly over the course of two (Covid) years.

Now complete, our 39 school Trust includes the merger with the former Paxi Christi Trust [St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy and Ss Peter & Paul’s Primary], a further 3 High Schools [St. Mary’s, St. Cuthbert’s and St. Thomas More], 32 Primary schools and 2 First schools. The schools span three Local Authorities (Northumberland, North Tyneside & Newcastle), stretching from the Tyne to the Tweed. Schools joined the Trust in four waves, making it by the summer of 2022 one of the largest in the country. BBCET has over 1,900 employees who are passionate about the education of over 14,000 pupils.

The Trust prides itself on a school improvement model driven by the excellent practice within its own schools, a true ‘by-schools, for schools’ model. The Trust has its own leadership and curriculum group lead by experts in their fields. Outcomes for pupils across are schools are some of the best in the region. Ofsted have rated almost all of our schools Good or Outstanding since 2020, and we anticipate all schools reaching this standard by 2026.

Our schools are led by its Chief Executive, Mrs Anita Bath who has a strong track record in raising achievement and school improvement. She is the former Headteacher of Sacred Heart Catholic High School, a Newcastle Girls’ school which has a long and well-deserved reputation for social mobility and academic excellence.