St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Lanchester
87%
Capacity
1,258
Pupils
1.9x
Demand
About St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Lanchester
St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College in Lanchester presents a mixed picture academically, with its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rating the school as Requires Improvement overall, a significant change from its previous Outstanding grade in 2009. The drop is largely driven by a Requires Improvement rating for behaviour and attitudes, though the quality of education, sixth-form provision, personal development, and leadership and management were all judged Good. On the exam front, the school's Progress 8 score of 0.22 is the most telling metric, placing it above the national average and well ahead of the County Durham local authority average of -0.21. This score ranks St Bede's 8th out of 31 secondary schools in the county, putting it in the top 26% locally and the top 33% nationally. It suggests that, despite the overall Ofsted rating, pupils here typically make stronger academic progress than their peers across the region.
Looking closer at the 2023/24 GCSE results, St Bede's achieved an Attainment 8 score of 49.8, with 74.7% of pupils securing a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and 50.6% achieving a grade 5 or above. The school's EBacc average point score sits at 4.6, and 58.8% of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects. Progress 8 breakdowns show particularly strong progress in maths (0.27) and the EBacc subjects (0.30), while English progress was more modest at 0.07. At A-level, the school's value-added score of -0.12 is rated Average, with pupils achieving an average of C+ per entry and 17% securing AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects. The sixth form is a notable feature, with 77 pupils in the cohort and a dedicated Sixth Form Centre on site.
The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 449 applications for 230 places, with 217 first-preference offers made from 230 first-preference applications. Facilities are strong and include a swimming pool, chapel, sports hall, tennis courts, music rooms, and art studios, with sports ranging from rowing to gymnastics. SEND provision covers a wide range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, and speech and language difficulties. With a Roman Catholic character and a headteacher in Catherine Hammill, this is a school that suits families who prioritise academic progress above the headline Ofsted grade, and who value a broad extracurricular offer and a strong sixth form. The behaviour rating is one to watch, but the progress data suggests most pupils are well served academically.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Consett Road, Durham, County Durham, DH7 0RD |
| Headteacher | Catherine Hammill |
| Local Authority | County Durham |
| Number of Pupils | 1,258 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 19.5% |
| School Capacity | 1,258 / 1,450 (87% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
21 Mar 2023Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 22 Jun 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.22)
1025th of 3,141
Nationally
27th of 142
In North East
8th of 31
In County Durham
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more 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
34.2
'22/23
32.5
'23/24
33.1
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
2022/2353%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 220 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)53%
- FE college34%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Employment5%
- Not sustained2%
98% 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
2022/2360%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 94 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
35%
Russell Group
37%
Top-third HE
2%
Oxford / Cambridge
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)60%
- Employment23%
- Apprenticeship9%
- Not sustained9%
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- Psychology30
- Business Studies:Single23
- Mathematics21
- History17
- Sociology15
- Geography14
- Religious Studies13
- Art and Design (Fine Art)8
- Biology8
- English Language8
- English Literature8
- Physics8
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
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed230
449
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
230 families put this school as their 1st choice (51% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:15
Source: stbedes.durham.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British89.7%
- White (other)5.1%
- Mixed2.3%
- Asian1.2%
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.
3
Total schools
3
Oversubscribed
2
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 Sixth Form College, Lanchester
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
Consett Road, Durham
County Durham, DH7 0RD
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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