St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy
93%
Capacity
1,056
Pupils
1.5x
Demand
About St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy
St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy is a popular choice among Northumberland families, with 160 first-preference applications for 162 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, resulting in an oversubscription ratio of 1.52. Of those first-preference applicants, 159 received offers, indicating strong local demand. The school, a Roman Catholic secondary for ages 11 to 18, has 1,056 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,140, so there is some headroom. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated the school Good across all five categories: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This marks a significant improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2019, when the school was judged to Require Improvement overall, with leadership and management also rated Requires Improvement at that time.
Academically, St Benet Biscop sits in the middle of the pack. Its Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year was -0.17, which is slightly below the national average but above the Northumberland local authority average of -0.22. The school ranks 8th out of 16 secondary schools in the LA on this measure, placing it in the 50th percentile locally. Attainment 8 stood at 44.7, and 62.7% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though the figure drops to 38.8% for grade 5 or above. EBacc entry was low at 20.4%, with only 10.4% of pupils achieving the full EBacc at grade 4 or above. In the sixth form, 57 students took A-levels, achieving an average grade of C per entry and a points score of 31.02 per entry. The value added score was -0.3, which is rated Below average, and the best three A-levels averaged a C+ grade.
The school offers a broad range of facilities, including a swimming pool, theatre, chapel, music rooms, art studios, and a sixth form centre. Sports provision covers rugby, netball, cricket, swimming, and gymnastics, while clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Young Enterprise, coding, and debate. For families with children who have special educational needs, the school lists provisions for eight categories, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. With 30.7% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with above-average deprivation. St Benet Biscop is a solid, improving option for Catholic families in Northumberland who want a secondary with a sixth form, decent facilities, and a clear trajectory of improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Ridge Terrace, Bedlington, Northumberland, NE22 6ED |
| Headteacher | Suzanne Lewis-Dale |
| Local Authority | Northumberland |
| Number of Pupils | 1,056 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 30.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,056 / 1,140 (93% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
17 Jan 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 8 Mar 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.17)
1927th of 3,141
Nationally
67th of 142
In North East
8th of 16
In Northumberland
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
35.0
'22/23
30.4
'23/24
31.0
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where school leavers go
2022/2354%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 61 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
22%
Russell Group
22%
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)54%
- Employment31%
- Not sustained7%
- Apprenticeship5%
- 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.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed162
246
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
160 families put this school as their 1st choice (65% 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 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British84.5%
- Asian5.1%
- Mixed3.0%
- White (other)1.9%
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.
5
Total schools
5
Oversubscribed
4
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy
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
Ridge Terrace, Bedlington
Northumberland, NE22 6ED
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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