St Bede's Catholic High School, Lytham
About St Bede's Catholic High School, Lytham
St Bede’s Catholic High School in Lytham is a state secondary for 11 to 16 year olds, and it is genuinely popular with local families. The school has 829 pupils on roll, just four over its official capacity of 825, so it is running very close to full. The demand is clear: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 521 applications for 161 places, an oversubscription ratio of 3.24 to one. Of those, 188 put it as their first preference, and 160 first-preference offers were made. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals sits at 13.4%, which is slightly above the national average for secondary schools (around 13% in recent years) and gives a sense of the school’s mixed intake. It is a Roman Catholic school, and the headteacher is Paul Marsden. The school does not have a sixth form, so pupils leave at 16.
Key Details
The full report on this school
What 151 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
11 Feb 2025From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.
Source: Ofsted, 16 Mar 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About St Bede's Catholic High School, Lytham
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