St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College
85%
Capacity
937
Pupils
2.8x
Demand
About St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College
St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College is a popular choice among local families, with 327 applications for 119 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.75. Of those, 116 offers went to first-preference applicants out of 118 who put the school top of their list, suggesting strong local confidence. The school is a mixed, Roman Catholic secondary for ages 11 to 18 in County Durham, led by headteacher Frances Cessford. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in 2023, confirmed the school remains Good, a notable improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2017 when it was rated Requires Improvement. The school now holds Good ratings for overall effectiveness, sixth-form provision, and leadership and management, reflecting a clear upward trajectory in quality.
Academically, St Bede's presents a mixed picture. At Key Stage 4, its Progress 8 score is -0.22, placing it in the 'Average' band nationally and ranking 21st out of 31 secondary schools in County Durham. This is very close to the local authority average of -0.21, meaning pupils make broadly similar progress to peers across the county. The Attainment 8 score stands at 44, and 65.7% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. However, the EBacc entry rate is 37.1%, with only 16.4% achieving the full EBacc at grade 5 or above. At A-level, the school's value-added score is -0.29, rated 'Below average', with an average points per entry of 30.41 (grade C). The best three A-levels averaged a B+ grade, and 45.5% of entries were at AAB or higher, though this is based on a small cohort of 29 pupils.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports provision covers rugby, hockey, gymnastics, and dance, while extracurricular clubs include chess, Model UN, orchestra, and Young Enterprise. SEND support is well-documented, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health needs. With 36% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake. St Bede's will suit families who value a faith-based secondary with a strong sixth form, a wide choice of activities, and a school that has demonstrably improved its Ofsted rating in recent years, even if its academic outcomes sit around the local average.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Westway, Peterlee, County Durham, SR8 1DE |
| Headteacher | Frances Cessford |
| Local Authority | County Durham |
| Number of Pupils | 937 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 36.0% |
| School Capacity | 937 / 1,100 (85% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
14 Jun 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (14 Jun 2023): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 6 Mar 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.22)
2074th of 3,141
Nationally
74th of 142
In North East
21st of 31
In County Durham
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
37.0
'22/23
33.4
'23/24
30.4
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2338%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 88 pupils).
- FE college44%
- School sixth form (stay)38%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Employment5%
92% 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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2380%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 51 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
34%
Russell Group
38%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)80%
- Employment8%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained4%
- Further education2%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Biology11
- Chemistry9
- Psychology9
- Mathematics8
- Physics7
- English Literature6
- Design and Technology (Product Design)4
- Geography4
- History4
- Religious Studies3
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed119
327
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
118 families put this school as their 1st choice (36% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British89.0%
- Asian3.0%
- White (other)2.1%
- Mixed1.7%
- Black0.3%
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.
75% 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.
9
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
6
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 St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College
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
Westway, Peterlee
County Durham, SR8 1DE
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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