St Bede's Catholic Primary School

About St Bede's Catholic Primary School

St Bede's Catholic Primary School sits comfortably above the Rotherham local authority average for primary schools when it comes to Key Stage 2 outcomes. The LA average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined is 60%, while St Bede's achieves 72% — a clear 12 percentage points higher. That places the school 20th out of 84 primary schools in Rotherham, putting it in the top quarter locally. It also ranks in the top 25% nationally, which is a strong showing for a state primary. The school's overall Ofsted rating is Good, awarded after its most recent graded inspection in October 2024. Notably, inspectors rated behaviour and attitudes as Outstanding, the highest possible grade, while leadership and management, quality of education, early years provision and personal development were all judged Good.

Looking more closely at the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, the school's strengths are spread across the core subjects. In maths, 89% of pupils met the expected standard and 28% reached the higher standard, with an average scaled score of 106. Reading saw 80% at the expected level and 30% at the higher level, with an average score of 104. Writing was slightly lower, with 78% meeting expectations and 13% achieving greater depth. The combined expected standard of 72% is a solid result, though the proportion reaching the higher standard across all three subjects is just 9%, which suggests the school is particularly effective at getting most pupils securely to the expected level rather than pushing large numbers into the top tier. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 93% of respondents would recommend the school, and 97% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy there.

St Bede's is a Catholic primary school for children aged 3 to 11, with a nursery provision attached. It is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 academic year, there were 73 applications for 45 places, with 44 of those coming as first preferences. The school has a range of facilities including a library, ICT suite, gymnasium, sensory room and chapel, and offers clubs such as choir, art, book, science and film club. Sports include tennis, athletics, netball, rounders and gymnastics. The school provides support for pupils with specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, and speech, language and communication needs. However, parent views on SEND support are notably split: while 63% agreed or strongly agreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need, 38% disagreed or strongly disagreed, which is a significant minority. This school will suit families who value strong academic foundations, a Catholic ethos, and a school where behaviour is rated outstanding and most parents are highly satisfied.

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