Secondary school

St Bede's Catholic High School

  • Voluntary Aided School
  • ages 11–16
  • Mixed
  • Roman Catholic
  • Lancashire
  • L39 4TA
  • No sixth form
Ofsted areas (no overall grade) · inspected Nov 2024 Top school 2024/25

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Results · 2024/25

Ranked 486 of 3,280 secondaries in England · top 15%

Top % in England, by year
2015/16: top 12%12%2016/17: top 22%2017/18: top 11%11% · 2017/182018/19: top 35%2021/22: top 23%2022/23: top 18%2023/24: top 24%2024/25: top 15%No exams

Against North West

Attainment 855 · North West 44.410/10 Top 10%+7.9 pts since 21/22
Grade 5+ English and maths65.2% · North West 40%10/10 Top 10%+11.2 pts since 21/22
EBacc point score4.51 · North West 3.828/10 Above
Progress 8 · 2023/24+0.41 · North West −0.169/10 Top 20%+16.7 pts since 18/19
Show exam results by year

No exams 2019/20–21

Attainment 8
2015/16: 57.6 · 141 pupils · North West 49.62016/17: 51.5 · 129 pupils · North West 45.42017/18: 56.7 · 134 pupils · North West 45.052018/19: 48.9 · 136 pupils · North West 45.12021/22: 54.6 · 140 pupils · North West 46.92022/23: 53.9 · 138 pupils · North West 44.32023/24: 51.6 · 137 pupils · North West 442024/25: 55 · 141 pupils · North West 44.457.648.9No exams
Grade 5+ English and maths
2016/17: 63% · 129 pupils · North West 37%2017/18: 68% · 134 pupils · North West 38%2018/19: 48% · 136 pupils · North West 38%2021/22: 61% · 140 pupils · North West 45%2022/23: 63% · 138 pupils · North West 39%2023/24: 51.1% · 137 pupils · North West 39.7%2024/25: 65.2% · 141 pupils · North West 40%68%48%No exams

Getting in · 2026

First-choice families who got in75.0%
132 of 176 who put it first2014 · 75.3%2026 · 75.0%
By preference
ChoiceAppliedOffered
1st176132
2nd1611
3rd950

Last distance offered: London only

Inspections · 2006–2024

  • Personal developmentGood
  • Quality of educationGood
  • Behaviour and attitudesGood
  • Leadership and managementGood
  • SafeguardingEffective
  1. 2006Good
  2. 2009Good
  3. 2012Good
  4. 2015Good
  5. 2019Remains Good
  6. 2024All areas Good

Pupils · 2024/25

On roll · Jan 2026709
Free school meals (past 6 years)6.2%
First language not English2.0%
SEN support9.3%
EHC plan2.1%
Absence (sessions missed)6.7%
Persistently absent pupils14.7%

Girls 53.5%Boys 46.5%

102.9% full · 689 places

Parent View

Earlier survey (before Nov 2025) · as at 1 Sep 2025 · 153 responses (21.7% of pupils)

  • My child is happy at this school92.8% agree
  • My child feels safe at this school94.1% agree
  • The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved90.8% agree
  • My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively · 77.1% not applicable54.3% agree
  • The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year72.6% agree
  • When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly · 28.1% not applicable82.7% agree
  • Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?18.9% yes
  • My child has SEND, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed · asked only of the 18.9% who said Yes above72.4% agree
  • The school has high expectations for my child88.2% agree
  • My child does well at this school93.5% agree
  • The school lets me know how my child is doing84.3% agree
  • There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school89.5% agree
  • My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school98% agree
  • The school supports my child's wider personal development89.5% agree
  • I would recommend this school to another parent94.8% yes

Workforce · 2025/26

Pupils per teacher17.6
Pupils per adult13.1
  • Classroom teachers 36.3
  • Leadership 4
  • Teaching assistants 9.2
  • Other support 18.3

Teachers 40.3 FTE · Whole workforce 67.8 · 81 people

Financials · 2025/26

Income per pupil£7,601
Spend per pupil£7,585
Staff spend per pupil£5,875
Reserve per pupil£296
  • +£209,856revenue reserve
  • +£11,618in-year balance

Grants £6,939 · self-generated £662 · premises £354 per pupil

Destinations · 2023/24 leavers

After Year 11

137 students, followed through 2024/25 · Provisional

  • Sustained97.1%
  • Education91.2%
  • Apprenticeship2.9%
  • Employment2.9%
  • Not sustained1.5%
  • Unknown1.5%