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St Bede's Roman Catholic High School, Blackburn

Blackburn with Darwen, BB2 4SRSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
4 Good
Mar 2025
Progress 8
-0.25
Below average
−20+2
Competition
1.2×
Oversubscribed
238 1st-choice / 203 places
Ranking
#2,120
of 3,141 nationally

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.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressGreen Lane, Blackburn, Blackburn with Darwen, BB2 4SR
HeadteacherDaniel Milton
Local AuthorityBlackburn with Darwen
Number of Pupils1,043
Free School Meals (FSM)18.7%
School Capacity1,043 / 1,050 (99% full)

The full report on this school

What 89 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, 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

4 Mar 2025
View Report
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.

Source: Ofsted, 5 May 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

10
Astro TurfMusic RoomsICT SuiteArt StudiosSwimming PoolLibraryGymnasiumSixth Form CentreTennis CourtsChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

16

Sports

SwimmingCricketRowingAthleticsRugbyCross CountryBasketballRoundersFootball

Clubs & Activities

ChessDramaGardeningChoirDuke of EdinburghBook ClubYoung Enterprise

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

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:55 – 14:55

Source: stbedesblackburn.com. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St Bede's Roman Catholic High School, Blackburn

St Bede's Roman Catholic High School, Blackburn has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.