St Bede's Catholic Academy

About St Bede's Catholic Academy

St Bede’s Catholic Academy in Stockton-on-Tees was rated Good in its most recent graded Ofsted inspection, a clear improvement from its previous rating of Requires Improvement. The school has held onto that Good rating through a subsequent ungraded inspection in 2021, which confirmed it remains Good. The most telling exam metric for this primary school is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — 70% of its Year 6 cohort hit that benchmark in the 2023/24 academic year. That figure sits above the Stockton-on-Tees local authority average of 66%, placing St Bede’s 23rd out of 55 primary schools in the area, comfortably in the top half. Given that over half of its pupils (54.9%) are eligible for free school meals, this is a solid academic outcome that suggests the school is doing well by its intake.

Digging into the individual subject scores, the picture is mixed but broadly positive. In maths, 83% of pupils reached the expected standard and 37% achieved the higher standard, with an average scaled score of 107. Reading saw 77% at expected and 30% at the higher level, with an average score of 106. Writing also had 77% meeting expectations, though only 17% reached the higher standard. The school’s overall ranking score of 70 places it in the top 50% nationally and in the top third of schools in the North East region. While there are no progress scores available to show how much value the school adds, the attainment data indicates that St Bede’s is delivering results above the local norm, particularly in maths. The school does not have a sixth form, as it is a primary, so all focus is on the Key Stage 2 outcomes.

St Bede’s is a Roman Catholic primary for children aged 3 to 11, with a nursery on site. It is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 46 applications for 29 places, with all 29 first-preference applicants receiving offers. The school has a strong set of facilities including a sports hall, playing fields, art studios, music rooms, a sensory room and a chapel. It offers a wide range of clubs from drama and choir to eco club and chess, plus sports such as swimming, tennis and gymnastics. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists SEND provisions covering moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, hearing impairment, multi-sensory impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that suits families looking for a faith-based, community-focused primary with solid academic results and a broad extracurricular offer, particularly those in the Stockton-on-Tees area.

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