St. Bernadette's Catholic Primary School

About St. Bernadette's Catholic Primary School

St. Bernadette's Catholic Primary School in Blackpool is a smaller-than-average state primary, currently home to 183 pupils against a capacity of 210. That leaves some physical headroom, but the school is clearly in demand: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 50 applications for just 26 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.92. Crucially, all 24 first-preference applicants were offered a place, suggesting that while the school is popular, families who put it first stand a strong chance. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals sits at 15.3%, which is notably lower than the national average for primary schools (around 23%) and likely well below the Blackpool local authority average, given the area's higher-than-average deprivation. As a Roman Catholic school, its intake will naturally draw from families seeking a faith-based education, but the oversubscription data suggests its appeal extends beyond that community.

Academically, the school holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained consistently across its two most recent inspections. The most recent graded inspection took place in 2011, where it scored Good across the board, and an ungraded inspection in 2022 confirmed the school 'remains Good'. Early years provision was rated Good in both inspections. While the data doesn't include specific Key Stage 2 SATs results for St. Bernadette's, the local authority average for KS2 attainment in Blackpool is 58, which provides a useful benchmark. Given the school's Good Ofsted rating and its lower-than-average FSM cohort, it would be reasonable to expect its outcomes to sit at or above this LA average. The school does not have a sixth form, and there is no nursery provision, so it serves the core primary years from Reception through Year 6.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a library, chapel, art studios, gymnasium, and outdoor playground. Sports provision covers football, gymnastics, cross country, rounders, netball, and athletics, while clubs extend to drama, coding, eco club, science club, art club, and choir. SEND support is available for social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication difficulties, and other disabilities. For families considering alternatives, the nearest Outstanding-rated primary is Layton Primary School, 2.8 km away. St. Bernadette's will particularly suit Catholic families in Blackpool who value a faith-based setting with strong demand but achievable first-preference admission, and who want a school with a broad extracurricular offer and a Good track record from Ofsted.

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