St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School
109%
Capacity
229
Pupils
1.9x
Demand
About St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School is clearly a popular choice among local families. In the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 50 applications for just 26 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.92. All 26 first-preference applicants were offered a place, meaning that while the school is oversubscribed, those who put it first stand a strong chance. The school's parentView data is not available in this dataset, but the high demand alone signals a strong reputation in Middlesbrough. With 229 pupils on roll against a capacity of 210, the school is operating slightly above its official limit, which is common for popular primaries. The school is a Roman Catholic state primary for mixed genders aged 3 to 11, with a nursery provision on site, and is led by headteacher Sarah Brady.
Academically, St Bernadette's performs exceptionally well. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 93% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a local authority average of just 62%. This puts the school first out of 37 primary schools in Middlesbrough, and in the top 1% nationally. The school also achieved strong higher-standard results: 40% of pupils reached a higher level in reading, 37% in writing and 27% in maths. Average scaled scores were 108 in reading and 106 in maths. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2024, the school was rated Good overall, with Outstanding marks for personal development and for behaviour and attitudes. The early years provision was rated Good, and leadership and management also Good. The previous inspection in 2013 had also rated the school Good overall, so the school has maintained a consistent standard over time.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including an ICT suite, dining hall, sensory room, forest school, sports hall and a chapel. Sports on offer include netball, football, cricket, cross country, dance and rounders, while clubs extend to art, book club, drama, gardening, choir and eco club. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, autistic spectrum disorder and social, emotional and mental health needs. The nearest primary with an Outstanding Ofsted rating is Brambles Primary Academy, 4.2 km away. St Bernadette's is a strong fit for Catholic families in Middlesbrough who want a high-performing primary with a clear values-based ethos, strong academic outcomes and a supportive, well-resourced environment.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 3 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Cookgate, Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough, TS7 0PZ |
| Headteacher | Sarah Brady |
| Local Authority | Middlesbrough |
| Number of Pupils | 229 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 8.6% |
| School Capacity | 229 / 210 (109% full) |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
12 Mar 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 30 Apr 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (93%)
121st of 13,686
Nationally
5th of 677
In North East
1st of 37
In Middlesbrough
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
93%
Expected Standard
17%
Higher Standard
'22/23
59%
'23/24
93%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
6Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
12Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed26
50
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
26 families put this school as their 1st choice (52% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British89.5%
- Mixed5.7%
- White (other)2.2%
- Asian0.8%
- Black0.4%
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
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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.
7
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
6
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 Bernadette's Catholic Primary School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Cookgate, Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough, TS7 0PZ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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