St Bede's Roman Catholic High School, Blackburn
99%
Capacity
1,043
Pupils
2.6x
Demand
About St Bede's Roman Catholic High School, Blackburn
St Bede's Roman Catholic High School in Blackburn is a state secondary for 11- to 16-year-olds that is running very close to capacity, with 1,043 pupils on roll against a school capacity of 1,050. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 18.7%, which is above the national average and reflects the school's role in serving a diverse local community. Demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 533 applications for 203 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.63, with 238 families putting it as their first preference. 201 of those first-preference applicants were offered a place. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, carried out in March 2025, judged it Good across all areas including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This marks a notable improvement from its previous inspection in February 2023, when the school was rated Requires Improvement overall.
Academically, St Bede's sits in the middle of the pack locally. Its Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year was -0.25, which is below the local authority average of 0.05 and places it 6th out of 10 schools in Blackburn with Darwen. Nationally, it ranks in the bottom half, at the 67th percentile. The Attainment 8 score was 44.1, and 64.4% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though that figure drops to 41.7% at the stronger grade 5 threshold. The EBacc average point score was 4.12, with 52.8% of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects. Progress in English was notably weaker than in maths, with a Progress 8 English score of -0.44 compared to -0.23 for maths. The school does not have a sixth form, so all pupils leave at 16.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, music rooms, art studios, and a chapel, with sports such as rowing, rugby, and cricket on offer. Clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, chess, drama, and gardening. SEND support covers a wide range of needs, from specific learning difficulties and autism to speech and language needs and physical disabilities. Parent View responses from 89 families were largely positive: 75% would recommend the school, and 90% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy. However, only 55% agreed that SEND children get the support they need, and 25% of respondents had a child with SEND. This is a school that suits Catholic families in Blackburn who want a faith-based secondary with strong demand, improving Ofsted grades, and a broad extracurricular offer, but who should be aware that academic outcomes are slightly below the local average.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Green Lane, Blackburn, Blackburn with Darwen, BB2 4SR |
| Headteacher | Daniel Milton |
| Local Authority | Blackburn with Darwen |
| Number of Pupils | 1,043 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 18.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,043 / 1,050 (99% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
4 Mar 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Source: Ofsted, 5 May 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.25)
2120th of 3,141
Nationally
259th of 445
In North West
6th of 10
In Blackburn with Darwen
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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/231%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 209 pupils).
- FE college57%
- Sixth form college17%
- Apprenticeship10%
- Not sustained8%
- Employment6%
- School sixth form (stay)1%
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.
Ofsted Parent View
89 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed203
533
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
238 families put this school as their 1st choice (45% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 14:55
Source: stbedesblackburn.com. 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 British89.3%
- White (other)5.8%
- Mixed1.9%
- Asian1.3%
- Black0.2%
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.
8
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
7
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 Roman Catholic High School, Blackburn
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
Green Lane, Blackburn
Blackburn with Darwen, BB2 4SR
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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