Curriculum Key Stage 3 & Key Stage 4
WELCOME
I am very pleased to welcome you to The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School. It is a privilege to lead this wonderful community and I am very proud of the many achievements you will find described in these pages.
We are determined to draw out and develop the aptitudes and talents of all our pupils At the heart of the School lies our Catholic ethos, which underpins everything we do Quite simply, we see our principal role, as a Catholic school, to be a seed-ground for the apostolic mission of the Church The School aims, through its commitment to Catholic teaching, to prepare our pupils to undertake their responsibilities as Catholics in society. Working in partnership with parents, we aim to foster in our pupils a love for the Church which will help them to grow and develop as they make their way through life
In this, I believe, we are successful, as our outstanding public examination results, which far exceed national averages, show. 2025 was another vintage year for A-Level results, with 45.5% at A* and A (as opposed to the national average of 28.3%), and 77.1% at A* to B. At GCSE, 37.0% of grades were 9 & 8, and well over half (55 4%) 9, 8 or 7 These superb results speak eloquently for themselves and keep Cardinal Vaughan in its customary position as one of the highest performing comprehensive schools in the country
Aaron Cosgrove Headmaster
AMARE ET SERVIRE
The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School is an academy in the Archdiocese of Westminster. The School has a strong Catholic ethos, a pan-London intake, a tradition of outstanding academic outcomes and a strong regard for good behaviour, self-discipline and self-improvement among its pupils
The purpose of the School is best expressed in the words of Cardinal Manning, which appear in the preamble to our Mission Statement: we seek ‘the formation of the whole person: intellect, heart, will, character and soul.’ At a fundamental level, then, our vision for what this Catholic school should (and can) achieve is in a sense pre-packaged. Our aim is to make this ideal a reality.
We aim to preserve these unchanging ideals in the context of a rapidly changing world We want the school to be progressive in the truest sense; in other words, we must identify and retain the best of the old and graft this to the best of the new, so that the foundations on which our pupils’ progress is built are strong and lasting. This, in practice, will entail a remorseless focus on tailoring our practice to suit the multifold needs of our pupils, whatever their ability, so that their development – be it academic, spiritual, social, moral, sporting or aesthetic – is as firmly embedded and lasting as possible
This will require a blend of intellectual coherence, intelligent recalibration of existing good practice to ensure lasting improvement, energetic action and systematic monitoring to ensure that the needs of a changing intake are constantly met For the whole school community, it demands (and, hopefully, entails) unity of purpose
OFSTED OUTSTANDING
The was inspected by Ofsted in 2021 and was found to be Outstanding.
'Pupils grow and flourish in every way here. They are extremely proud to be part of this strong and caring school community Leaders and staff have very high expectations for all pupils They work together to help pupils develop into wellrounded individuals who love learning and achieve highly.
Pupils’ behaviour is exceptional. They treat each other and staff with dignity and respect. Pupils share the aspirations leaders and staff have for them and value their support. Pupils want to be the best they can be, both at school and in the future
Pupils told inspectors that they feel happy and safe here If pupils do have concerns, they know who to speak to. They are confident staff will listen to them. On the rare occasions when bullying occurs, staff are swift to deal with this effectively.
Academic study is balanced with pupils’ wider development Leaders encourage all pupils to broaden their experiences They offer plentiful extra-curricular activities to enrich pupils’ learning This includes a huge variety of clubs, musical opportunities and overseas trips.
Leaders provide a rich and extensive curriculum for all pupils. They have high expectations and challenging standards These apply to all areas of school life Pupils achieve highly in all their subjects This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged '
CATHOLIC LIFE
We are a Catholic community, committed in our Mission Statement to the vision of the School as a spiritual building whose cornerstone is Christ and whose foundations are the Apostles and Prophets It follows that our community must be one of love, all of whose members honour the Christ they find in one another.
Each person in the School, no matter what his or her worldly status, deserves to be treated with the respect and, indeed, reverence due to one created in the image of God and redeemed by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ
At Cardinal Vaughan, our school motto is Amare et Servire, so love and service are key elements of the School ethos We encourage our pupils to accept leadership roles and demonstrate love and service in action to ensure that the Catholic school ethos is carried across all areas of school life.
"This outstanding Catholic school is committed to the formation of the human person, as evidenced by the comprehensive enrichment programme that supports the taught curriculum ” Catholic Schools Inspectorate, 2024
"Cardinal Vaughan offers young people a first-class Catholic education and a wonderful preparation for later life Our leavers go on to a wide variety of top universities and carry with them impressive personal qualities which ensure that they are equipped to continue developing as Catholics in an increasingly complex world: I am proud that we encourage our pupils to regard their faith as a gift to be actively nurtured rather than passively received "
Aaron Cosgrove, Headmaster
CURRICULUM
The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School is highly acclaimed for its outstanding academic results In addition, we encourage pupils to develop their own interests and achieve far more than just examination success
The many opportunities to excel, both within and beyond the classroom, provide an environment in which every individual can develop their talents to the full.
The School regards the regular performance of homework as being of the first importance and pupils adhere to a daily homework schedule
Key Stage Three
The School introduced a two-year key stage three curriculum in September 2015. Boys will study a wide and varied repertoire of subjects, giving them a solid grounding in many areas All talents and interests are catered for as are the widely varied abilities of our pupils
Class sizes vary according to the ability of the boys with the less able taught in smaller groups Practical subjects (Art, Music and Design Technology) are taught in smaller classes to allow for the individual attention these subjects require
All pupils study Religious Education and the core and foundation subjects of the National Curriculum. More information about the National Curriculum can be found on the Government website.
Key Stage Four
At KS4, pupils have the opportunity to focus on the subjects which appeal to them most while also developing their knowledge and understanding of the core curriculum essential to all We are one of fewer than 3% of state schools to offer Classics, Greek & Latin at GCSE
EXTRA-CURRICULAR
Cardinal Vaughan has an extensive programme of extra-curricular activities, from sports teams (including football, rugby, and netball) to a globally renowned Music Department which includes the Schola Cantorum, who have performed at world-famous venues such as the Royal Opera House and the Royal Albert Hall
We have seen an increase in the uptake of co-curricular clubs, including in Drama, Computer Science, and our Eco Club, which is responsible for the school recycling system and promoting sustainability in the local community
We offer multiple international school trips which have included New York, Galapagos Islands, and Ecuador, and most recently a Geography trip to Iceland. These trips range from sightseeing and volunteering to taking part in sporting activities.
Our pupils also have the opportunity to complete their Duke of Edinburgh award during their time at school This takes place during the school calendar so that our pupils can participate with their peers
Sixth Formers are also encouraged to take part in extra-curricular activities, including working with local businesses and charities to raise money and materials for those less fortunate (including Mary's Meals and local food banks), as well as helping to arrange and staff our annual Senior Citizens Tea Party and help volunteer at Vaughan Parent's Association events
We also now work with partner primary schools within the Trust, where Sixth Form pupils will visit and provide workshops for the pupils
TESTIMONIALS
"It is a real joy being Head of First Form as I get to observe, first hand, the significant progress that the new Cardinal Vaughan pupils make from arriving at our School in September through to the end of their first year studying with us In particular, it is incredibly rewarding to witness the pupils flourish socially, whether that be through representing the Vaughan at sporting fixtures, musical events or attending other extra-curricular clubs and developing friendships for life "
Mr Brett, Head of First Form
“It’s been a Sixth Form to remember! The top recurring memories were all the trips, whether it was France, Iceland, or New York I’m amazed by all of the opportunities we’ve had here One of the things I’m most grateful for is that we’ve had the change to see different places around the world.
I have absolutely loved my time here - the community is so strong, and the support amazing ”
Scarlett P, Head Girl (2024-25)
"If I have learnt anything from my 7 years at The Vaughan, it would be how lucky I am to have been taught in an environment with talented and ambitious people who share goals similar to mine Finding a perfect work to fun balance and enjoying every moment with friends, old and new, has made every moment here delightful. This alongside amazing teachers who don’t just teach for the exams, but for life, has set me up in the best possible way for the future ”
Keeran S, Head Boy (2024-25)
NEXT STEPS
As a school, we pride ourselves on producing young adults who are hardworking, independent, and charismatic, and who are wellprepared for life beyond school and Sixth Form.
Things that set the Vaughan apart from other Sixth Forms include the fact that you are given a dedicated form tutor upon arrival in Year 12, with a team of staff who are willing to go above and beyond to help you succeed in your endeavours, as well as a rich programme of speakers, workshops, careers mentoring, and higher education guidance
Underpinning everything we do is the culture of academic excellence that runs throughout CVMS Our most recent results speak for themselves. As aforementioned, at the heart of all we do is that we seek 'the formation of the whole person: intellect, heart, will, character and soul' - and our Sixth Form is no different.
The vast majority of pupils go on to Higher Education, gaining places to a wide variety of universities both in the UK and abroad Pupils in our Sixth Form are very well supported as they make their applications to university, apply for Higher Level Apprenticeships or other non-university post 18 pathways, as are our SEND pupils, working closely with our internal additional needs team and external providers
At Cardinal Vaughan, we also offer careers advice which contributes to raising pupil achievement in helping pupils focus on their longer-term career ambitions and ensure an equality of opportunity for all
We provide a comprehensive programme to pupils in every year group and of all abilities and this includes aspects of work-related learning, enterprise education and option choices.
We are committed to ensuring our pupils have opportunities to acquire the knowledge and confidence to cope with life after school and become good citizens
VISIT THE VAUGHAN
We would be delighted to welcome you to the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School for our Open Evenings. There is no need to sign up to these events.
Unfortunately, we cannot offer parking, but there is pay for parking in Westfield London, just a 15-minute walk from the school Alternatively, you could ride the overground to Shepherd's Bush (8minute walk), or the Central line to Holland Park station (9-minute walk) when you visit
First Form Open Evenings will be held on Thursday 11 and Wednesday 17 September 2025 when The Headmaster will address parents and pupils at 4 30pm and again at 6 00pm Following each speech, parents will be taken on a tour of the school We therefore recommend you arrive in good time for either 4 30pm or 6 00pm
Sixth Form Open Evenings will be held Wednesday 1 October 2025 and Tuesday 14 October 2025 The Headmaster will speak at 5 00pm, after which you are welcome to tour the school
ADMISSIONS
For full details of our First Form and curriculum please use the QR code below
We would prefer online applications If you cannot apply online, download the Admission Arrangements and complete the relevant form Paper forms should be returned by post to reach the school before the closing date
Please complete your local authority’s e-admission form, available from your local authority, and our online Supplementary Information Form.
We will acknowledge receipt of your online forms and request documents from you if applicable. If you are Catholic, you will need to upload your baptism or reception certificate and a Certificate of Catholic Practice (CCP) You can start your online application and upload these documents later as long as you do so by 18 November
To start your application please visit our website https://cvms applicaa com/15 You will find it easier to do this on a laptop or PC rather than a mobile phone
