The first Northern League game to be played in central Middlesbrough for more than 100 years ended with victory as Boro Rangers continued their fairytale rise.
Two goals from Stuart Rose and one from Nico Weatherald earned a 3-2 Division One win over Tow Law for the newly promoted side.
The game took place at Phoenix Park, which is also home to NPCAT’s elite T6 Football Academy, after the FA gave the green light for the stadium to be used.
Middlesbrough FC were the last team to play their Northern League games in the town before entering the Football League in 1899.
NPCAT CEO Hugh Hegarty said: “We’re absolutely thrilled that Phoenix Park has passed the FA’s ground grading assessment and that Northern League football will be played in the heart of Middlesbrough for the first time in many years.
“The trust has a proud track record of delivering the best for our young people and the wider community and this news illustrates the quality of the facilities we are building.
“Huge congratulations must go to NPCAT’s director of football Dave McTiernan and Middlesbrough FC for all their work and support in developing the T6 Football Academy, which is now recognised nationally as system leading.”
Boro Rangers’ chairman Mark Curtis said: “We’re delighted that our men’s first team can start playing at our new ground.
“A lot of time and effort has gone to get us to this stage and we are very grateful to so many people who have helped us.
“In particular, we have to thank the Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust for all they have done to set up the new facility. Our first meeting with them was in January last year, so it’s been a hectic process since then.”
T6 was established at Trinity Catholic College in 2022 in a unique partnership with Middlesbrough Football Club.
The ambitious programme offers students professional-level football training and facilities while also enabling them to continue their post-16 education.
NPCAT has invested in first-class facilities, including a dedicated academy building, strength and conditioning suite with weights and cardiovascular areas and a video analysis room. There is also a 3G pitch, three full-sized grass pitches, a 9 v 9 pitch and the latest addition, a grandstand.
“Trinity Catholic College is being transformed at every level and this further investment ensures that high education standards being led by headteacher Andy Rodgers are matched by the facilities,” said Mr Hegarty.
“Work continues on enhancing our sixth form at Trinity and we look forward to another key announcement on youth sport in the coming weeks.”
T6 boys’ and girls’ teams compete in the National Football Youth League, where their opponents include teams representing top Premier League clubs.
Students also study for qualifications including A-levels and BTECs, benefitting from Trinity’s full range of courses and wider enrichment.
Recruits all have outstanding youth football pedigrees, with most having narrowly missed out on pro scholarships.
Teams wear Boro’s colours on matchdays, playing as T6 Football Academy (Middlesbrough Football Club).
Trinity’s own teams, including the reigning ESFA Under-18 Girls National Cup, also play at Phoenix Park, which will be home to Boro Rangers’ 74 teams across all age levels.
Around 800 children from across Teesside will use the T6 facilities each week, offering huge benefits to the local community.
“I’d like to personally thank all the staff and volunteers at the club who have put so much work into this project,” Mr Curtis added.
“We’d also like to thank New Ferens Park, Stokesley, where we have been playing our games, and the Northern League for accommodating the transition to the new ground in just over a season.
“Our games against Heaton Stannington and North Shields had to be moved to allow the work to be completed, so we’re also grateful for their patience.
“It will be a busy October for us, with six consecutive home games from October 11 until November 1.”
Boro Rangers, who were formed in 2003, were crowned Northern League Division Two champions on the final day of last season, which was their first competing at that level, having previously won the North Riding League seven years in a row.

Outstanding Ofsted Report for All Saints Catholic School, York

School leaders have welcomed a new Ofsted report rating the historic All Saints Catholic School, York, as “Outstanding” and saying that “pupils are immensely proud to attend”.

Inspectors highlighted the caring nature of the school where “everyone is accepted for who they are”.

Pupils at All Saints Shine with Pride and Compassion

They went on to describe a school environment where: “Pupils care deeply for others. They exude tolerance, respect and compassion in all that they do. The school’s values of faith, love and unity underpin every aspect of school life. Pupils, including students in the sixth form, thrive at All Saints Catholic School.”

All Saints, York, pupils in York Minster – Photo by David Harrison

Headteacher Celebrates Students’ Achievements and Values

Headteacher Sharon Keelan-Beardsley said she was delighted the inspectors were able to see the “real All Saints”.

“Our young people are our greatest ambassadors, and they are why we, the staff, love working here,” she said.

“The comments made about the meticulously planned curriculum, unstintingly high expectations of achievement and extraordinary personal development, to name but a few of the areas that were highlighted in our report, are fantastic.

“But it is how the inspectors talked about our young people that really makes me so extremely proud. They were described as having incredibly mature attitudes to learning and a strong moral compass. These are the young people who will make a real difference to our society in the future, and it is a real privilege to work with them.”

The school’s sixth form was highly praised, with students described as learning “with fervour”.
Mrs Keelan-Beardsley added: “This is something I experience every day. For example, only last week, our sixth form organised and delivered a whole school afternoon of activities to celebrate our school feast day.

“I have been in education for 30 years and I have not been in another school where young people take on this level of responsibility and show such independence.”

NPCAT CEO Highlights Commitment to Excellence

CEO Hugh Hegarty

Hugh Hegarty, chief executive officer of Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust (NPCAT), which All Saints joined in May 2023, said the trust is delighted with the report.

“Congratulations to all staff, whose hard work, commitment and passion have made this success possible,” he said. “Together, we continue to set a high standard for excellence.
“The work to ensure a culture of vigilance and effective safeguarding will continue to provide everyone with a deep level of confidence as we continue to acknowledge the range of challenges faced in our ever-changing society.”

All Saints chair of governors Stephanie Garthwaite

Chair of Governors Reflects on Governance and Future Vision

Chair of governors Stephanie Garthwaite added: “We are incredibly proud of All Saints and the Outstanding judgement awarded by Ofsted is a testament to the dedication, talent and commitment of our staff, students and community.

“Ofsted has acknowledged that until very recently the trust and members of the local governing body did not work together as productively as they could. The implementation of the new interim advisory board (IAB) has provided a breadth of experience and expertise to the local governing body, enhancing its effectiveness.

“This recognition highlights the hard work and shared vision that make All Saints an exceptional place for learning, growth and opportunity.

“As chair of governors, I am thrilled to see our commitment to excellence affirmed and look forward to continuing our partnership with staff, students and families to maintain the high standards and inspiring environment at All Saints.”

Ofsted says pupils develop independence and an understanding of responsibility through leadership roles and have helped redesign the outside landscape and a new dining area and organise a world cultures day and coffee morning for local charities.

Extracurricular Success and SEND Support at All Saints

Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is warmly praised: “Pupils, especially those who are disadvantaged, achieve highly across the curriculum.”

All Saints, York, pupils in York Minster – Photo by David Harrison

Meticulously Designed Curriculum Backed by Educational Research

The 11-strong team of inspectors say extracurricular activities including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, debate club, orchestra and escape room club also help build pupils’ character.

“The school provides a highly ambitious curriculum that prepares pupils incredibly well for their next steps in education, training or employment,” the report says.

“The curriculum is meticulously designed and steeped in educational research. Teachers have excellent subject knowledge. They deliver the curriculum with flair and considerable expertise.”

Strengthened Partnership Between School and NPCAT

Ofsted says the relationship between the school and the trust has “considerably strengthened” and they share “an unambiguous vision for the high-quality education that they offer pupils”, with improvement priorities more clearly defined.

“The school and the trust should continue to work in close partnership to ensure that those responsible for leadership and governance fully understand their roles and responsibilities,” the report adds.

All Saints was named the top non-selective school in the north in the 2023 Sunday Times Parent Power Guide
The school has 1,421 pupils aged from 11 to 18 and operates on two sites, on Seacroft Road and Nunnery Lane.

Another rising soccer star has rolled off the flourishing production line at Sacred Heart Catholic Secondary School in Redcar.
Talented midfielder Joey T follows in the footsteps of former Sacred Heart pupils and current Middlesbrough FC first teamers Hayden Hackney and George McCormick after being handed a full-time scholarship a year ahead of his peers.
Hayden, 22, has become a fixture in the Boro midfield and has also represented England U21s, while left-back George, 19, impressed during a series of friendly appearances in the summer and made his full debut in this season’s Carabao Cup. 
Now Year 11 pupil Joey, who is also head boy and captain of the school’s successful football team, will join Boro’s famous Academy after sitting his GCSEs next summer.
Joey has been on Boro’s books since his days at St Joseph’s Primary School in Loftus and Sacred Heart head of PE Paul Freary says he is the perfect role model.
“Joey not only leads by example on the football pitch but also around the school and is someone many of the younger pupils look up to,” Mr Freary said.

Sacred Heart Secondary School head boy Joey T has been snapped up by the famous MFC Academy

Despite being only 15, Joey was shortlisted for England Schoolboys Under-17 squad for three UEFA U17 Euro qualifiers in Malta last month.
Headteacher Louise Dwyer said: “I am thrilled to have such a legacy of sporting talent here at Sacred Heart. Both Hayden and George have visited school recently and shared their success with our pupils.
“We are delighted that Joey is following in the footsteps of Hayden and George. Joey as head boy demonstrates his leadership skills on and off the pitch and is a true role model.” 
Joey recently led Sacred Heart’s school team to their first ever T6 Schools’ Super Cup with a nail-biting final victory at Trinity Catholic College, Middlesbrough.
Five NPCAT secondary schools took part in a group format across the day, with the top two sides qualifying for the final.
After a 3-0 win against St Patrick’s Catholic College, Thornaby (goals from Joey, Sonny B and Reece C) and a 2-1 win over hosts Trinity (Joey and Austin H), Sacred Heart were beaten 2-0 by St Francis Xavier School, Richmond.
This defeat only served to spur the lads on for game three, a 3-0 victory over St Peter’s Catholic College, South Bank (Joey, Reece C (two)).
As group winners, Sacred Heart then faced a rematch against St Patrick’s in the final, who had been unbeaten after that first game reverse.
“A much more confident St Patrick’s played with passion and commitment and had some good chances before Joey scored a free kick from fully 35 yards to put Sacred Heart 1-0 up with three minutes to go,” said Mr Freary.
“However, the drama wasn’t finished there, and St Patrick’s levelled with the last kick of the game after a goalmouth scramble, to take the contest to penalties.”
Goalkeeper Angus T was the hero of the hour in the shootout that followed, saving two spot kicks to make Sacred Heart just the second winners of the T6 Super Cup.
Dave McTeirnan, head of NPCAT’s Football and Sporting Academy, said: “Sacred Heart worked tirelessly throughout the full day with the whole squad having a great togetherness, which showed in the final game.
“Our T6 Football Academy staff were very impressed with the talent on show and the sportsmanship from all the players and staff involved. Well done!”

Sacred Heart are hoping to add more silverware to the trophy cabinet after a 4-3 win over Macmillan Academy School in the Cleveland Schools County Cup, with Joey again on the scoresheet along with Austin H (two) and Sonny B.
They will travel to face Manor School, Hartlepool, in the quarter-final.

Sacred Heart Catholic Secondary School’s triumphant football team

Trinity Catholic College has been named in the top ten in the country for the most improved attendance over the last year.

Attendance has gone up by just over four per cent, which is evidence of huge progress in statistical terms.

The news is the latest in a series of positive milestones since the appointment of headteacher Andy Rodgers and three new deputy headteachers just under two years ago.

Trinity was given a “requires improvement” rating by Ofsted in May 2022 but in a letter that followed a monitoring visit in September 2023, inspectors said the new leadership was taking effective action to move the school towards it being rated “good”.

Welcoming the news, which was collated by school-improvement specialist The Excellence Hub, Mr Rodgers said: “It’s all been around developing a strong, positive Catholic culture and creating a safe, calm and nurturing environment.

“Both the school and trust staff have also worked tirelessly to engage with families at home and to overcome any barriers to attendance.


“Suspensions have also reduced significantly over the past two years and last year they more than halved from the previous year, which reflects the school being a calm and orderly place.

“Trinity now is like night and day from how it was two years ago. It’s a happy, calm and pleasant environment for pupils, with high-quality lessons taking place.”

Mr Rodgers said creating a “rewards culture” rather than punitive sanctions has been a key element of the successful strategy.

“We have clear policies in place around behaviour and high expectations of pupils to follow those rules and staff to enforce them,” he said.

“But at the same time we’ve had a real push on rewards to help create a positive feeling around the building and a praise culture as opposed to a negative culture that’s focused on sanctions. 


“We give reward points and certificates every day to pupils displaying our school values, which are linked to Gospel values such as resilience and courage.

“We have our Superstar Showcase on Friday lunchtimes, when pupils bring work they’re proud of to show senior staff what they’ve been doing, and they’ll get instant rewards and can go straight to the front of the queue for their fish and chips.


“Then there are bigger rewards such as our In It To Win It, which we run once a term. Pupils get tickets every week for good behaviour and attendance and working hard in their lessons.

“Pupils put their tickets in for the prize they want to win and we drew it out on the last day of term. In the summer we had a bike, some wireless headphones and a £100 shopping voucher.

“We also have a lot of trips and in the summer we had inflatables in the sports hall and an ice-cream van. Pupils with good attendance and behaviour can participate in these events. So we try to reward pupils who are getting it right every single day.” 


Another important strand of Mr Rodgers’ strategy has been ensuring pupils wear the correct uniform.

“We check the uniform on the gate every day and we look after pupils if they need something, such as new shoes,” he said.

“We always look to support families and make sure everything’s affordable and we help in every way we can, but we do insist upon them wearing the correct uniform and again that sets the high standards we expect from the start of the day.

“If you’re proud of the way you look, you’re proud of the school and you’re a member of the community.”

But Mr Rodgers says the attendance figures have given him more satisfaction than anything else since he took over the reins.


“If children aren’t in school, they can’t learn, and a four per cent improvement in attendance is massive,” he said.

“But that improvement has to continue. We’re the eighth most improved in the country, but that doesn’t mean we’re where we want to be yet.”


Trinity Catholic College headteacher Andy Rodgers – Photo by Stuart Boulton.

Mr Rodgers has spent his career helping turn around schools in what are considered “tough” areas.

NPCAT CEO Hugh Hegarty said: “I’d like to congratulate the leaders and staff at Trinity and the NPCAT Attendance Team for the remarkable impact their efforts are having on improving attendance across our schools.

“This success clearly reflects NPCAT’s strategic investment and vision as a system-leading multi-academy trust, where a unified approach and dedicated support are driving positive change.

“This work is a testament to the power of collaboration, targeted initiatives and the commitment to ensuring every student can thrive. Well done to everyone involved for making such a meaningful difference.”

In his most recent previous role, Mr Rodgers guided Unity City Academy in Middlesbrough from being rated “inadequate” by Ofsted to “good”.

Two of NPCAT’s six secondary schools, St Francis Xavier in Richmond and All Saints Catholic School in York, are rated “outstanding” by Ofsted.

Three others – St Patrick’s Catholic College in Thornaby, Sacred Heart Catholic Secondary in Redcar and St Peter’s, South Bank – were upgraded to “good” after their most recent inspections.