Secondary school

St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow

  • Academy Converter
  • ages 11–16
  • Mixed
  • Roman Catholic
  • Westmorland and Furness
  • LA13 9LE
  • No sixth form
Ofsted Good · inspected Sep 2022

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Results · 2024/25

Ranked 3,099 of 3,280 secondaries in England · top 95%

Top % in England, by year
2015/16: top 57%57%2016/17: top 36%36% · 2016/172017/18: top 55%2018/19: top 63%2021/22: top 76%2022/23: top 74%2023/24: top 82%2024/25: top 95%No exams

Against North West

Attainment 834.6 · North West 44.41/10 Well below North West−22.6 pts since 21/22
Grade 5+ English and maths23.3% · North West 40%2/10 Well below North West−14.2 pts since 21/22
EBacc point score3.01 · North West 3.821/10 Well below North West−10.8 pts since 21/22
Progress 8 · 2023/24-0.63 · North West −0.162/10 Well below North West−21.1 pts since 18/19
Show exam results by year

No exams 2019/20–21

Attainment 8
2015/16: 49.3 · 190 pupils · North West 49.62016/17: 48.5 · 158 pupils · North West 45.42017/18: 45 · 162 pupils · North West 45.052018/19: 43.8 · 165 pupils · North West 45.12021/22: 43.3 · 141 pupils · North West 46.92022/23: 41.3 · 148 pupils · North West 44.32023/24: 39.2 · 131 pupils · North West 442024/25: 34.6 · 150 pupils · North West 44.449.334.6No exams
Grade 5+ English and maths
2016/17: 53% · 158 pupils · North West 37%2017/18: 46% · 162 pupils · North West 38%2018/19: 40% · 165 pupils · North West 38%2021/22: 35% · 141 pupils · North West 45%2022/23: 29% · 148 pupils · North West 39%2023/24: 34.4% · 131 pupils · North West 39.7%2024/25: 23.3% · 150 pupils · North West 40%53%23.3%No exams

Getting in · 2026

First-choice families who got in100.0%
97 of 97 who put it first2024 · 100.0%2026 · 100.0%
By preference
ChoiceAppliedOffered
1st9797
2nd7620
3rd363

Last distance offered: London only

Inspections · 2006–2022

  1. 2006Goodas predecessor
  2. 2011Goodas predecessor
  3. 2013Inadequateas predecessor
  4. 2015Goodas predecessor
  5. 2019Remains Goodas predecessor
  6. 2022Good

4 strong areas

  • Personal development
  • Quality of education
  • Behaviour and attitudes
  • Effectiveness of leadership and management

0 weak areas

4 areas graded · safeguarding effective

Pupils · 2024/25

On roll · Jan 2026624
Free school meals (past 6 years)29.1%
First language not English9.5%
SEN support17.7%
EHC plan5.8%
Absence (sessions missed)9.8%
Persistently absent pupils27.4%

Girls 50%Boys 50%

68.1% full · 916 places

Parent View

Not published for this school

Workforce · 2025/26

Pupils per teacher16.2
Pupils per adult12.2
  • Classroom teachers 34.1
  • Leadership 4.5
  • Teaching assistants 7.5
  • Other support 21

Teachers 38.6 FTE · Whole workforce 67.2 · 81 people

Financials · 2024/25

Income per pupil£8,748
Spend per pupil£7,889
Staff spend per pupil£5,883
Reserve per pupil£1,592
  • +£1,073,000revenue reserve
  • +£579,000in-year balance

Grants £8,714 · self-generated £34 · premises £438 per pupil

Multi-academy trust: MATER CHRISTI MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST (16 academies) · trust reserve £3,448,000 · Reserves in a multi-academy trust belong to the trust; this academy's figures include the share of central costs the trust gives it

Destinations · 2023/24 leavers

After Year 11

131 students, followed through 2024/25 · Provisional

  • Sustained87.8%
  • Education67.9%
  • Apprenticeship16%
  • Employment3.8%
  • Not sustained7.6%
  • Unknown4.6%