Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School
95%
Capacity
760
Pupils
2.4x
Demand
About Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School
Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School is clearly a popular choice among local families, with 85% of parents who responded to the Ofsted Parent View survey saying they would recommend the school. That figure comes from 106 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, and it's backed up by some strong individual scores: 88% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school, and 91% felt their child was safe. The school is also heavily oversubscribed. For the 2025/26 academic year, there were 155 places available, but the school received 377 applications in total, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.43. Of those, 173 were first-preference applications, and 147 first-preference offers were made. That level of demand suggests a school that local parents trust, and the positive parent feedback on happiness and safety reinforces that picture.
Academically, Brownedge St Mary's sits in a solid middle ground. Its Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year was 0.03, which is exactly in line with the national average and well above the Lancashire local authority average of -0.11. That means pupils here make about as much progress as similar students across the country, and notably more than the typical student in the wider area. The Attainment 8 score was 44.1, and 63.2% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, was an ungraded visit that confirmed standards were being maintained, following a full graded inspection in November 2015 that rated the school Good overall, with Good leadership and management. That's a clear improvement from the Requires Improvement rating the school received in January 2014, so the trajectory has been positive over the longer term.
The school is a Roman Catholic secondary for pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form, and it currently has 760 pupils on roll against a capacity of 800. Facilities include a chapel, theatre, art studios, playing fields, and a library, and the extracurricular offering is broad, with clubs ranging from Model UN and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award to Eco Club and Young Enterprise. Sports on offer include cricket, swimming, rugby, and martial arts. For families with children who have special educational needs, the school lists support for a wide range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. With 22.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a fairly diverse intake. Given its strong parent satisfaction, oversubscribed status, and solid Progress 8 score, this is a school that suits families looking for a well-regarded local Catholic secondary with good pastoral feedback and a broad range of activities.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Station Road, Preston, South Ribble, PR5 6PB |
| Headteacher | Nicola Oddie |
| Local Authority | Lancashire |
| Number of Pupils | 760 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 22.9% |
| School Capacity | 760 / 800 (95% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
14 May 2025Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (14 May 2025): Standards maintained
Source: Ofsted, 3 Dec 2015. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.03)
1441st of 3,141
Nationally
149th of 445
In North West
5th of 11
In South Ribble
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2340%
of GCSE leavers move to sixth form college (cohort: 147 pupils).
- Sixth form college40%
- FE college37%
- Employment10%
- Not sustained7%
- Apprenticeship5%
93% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Ofsted Parent View
106 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed155
377
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
173 families put this school as their 1st choice (46% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 15:00
Source: st-maryshigh.lancs.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British80.4%
- White (other)6.1%
- Mixed5.4%
- Asian2.4%
- Black0.7%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
8
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
5
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Station Road, Preston
South Ribble, PR5 6PB
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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