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St Bede's Catholic Primary School, South Shields

South Tyneside, NE33 4PGPrimaryAges 3–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Outstanding
May 2024
KS2 Results
71%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
1.1×
Oversubscribed
32 1st-choice / 30 places
Ranking
#3,974
of 13,686 nationally

About St Bede's Catholic Primary School, South Shields

St Bede's Catholic Primary School in South Shields is a clear outlier in South Tyneside when it comes to academic outcomes. The local authority average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2 sits at 64 per cent, but St Bede's achieves 71 per cent — a noticeable seven-point gap above the norm. That places the school 10th out of 37 primary schools in the borough, comfortably inside the top third. It's also one of only five schools in the entire local authority to hold an Outstanding rating from Ofsted, a grade it reaffirmed in its most recent inspection in 2024. The school is oversubscribed by a ratio of 2.1 to one, with 63 applications for 30 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, and 32 of those were first-preference choices. That level of demand suggests local families see the school as a strong bet, and the numbers back that up.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range3 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressClaypath Lane, South Shields, South Tyneside, NE33 4PG
HeadteacherCarol Devine
Local AuthoritySouth Tyneside
Number of Pupils237
Free School Meals (FSM)15.8%
School Capacity237 / 210 (113% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

14 May 2024
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of Education
Outstanding
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Early Years Provision
Outstanding

Source: Ofsted, 2 Jul 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

7
LibraryPlaying FieldsSensory RoomICT SuiteGymnasiumArt StudiosChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

8

Sports

SwimmingRoundersNetballAthleticsCricket

Clubs & Activities

ChessCodingDrama

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & Language

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St Bede's Catholic Primary School, South Shields

St Bede's Catholic Primary School, South Shields has been rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted. This means the school provides an exceptional quality of education, and pupils thrive both academically and personally.