St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow is a state-funded secondary school in Westmorland and Furness, North West, for pupils aged 11 to 16 for boys and girls. DfE data records 624 pupils on roll and a published capacity of 916.
The latest recorded Ofsted overall judgement is Good (27 Sept 2022). The published Attainment 8 score was 34.6 for 2024/25. Admissions data records 97 first-preference applications and 123 offers made on national offer day for 2026/27.
St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow’s combined academic results and attendance score is in the much lower band compared with mainstream state secondary schools across England for 2024/25.
1/10Academic results
Much lower
The school’s Attainment 8 score was 34.6 in 2024/25. This measures average attainment across eight GCSE-level qualifications, using DfE’s subject weighting rules.
The score compares this result with 3,058 mainstream state secondary schools in England with both required measures for 2024/25. Academic attainment contributes 90% of the combined score. It measures exam or assessment results, not how much progress pupils made from their starting points.
3/10Attendance
Lower
Overall absence was 9.75% of possible school sessions in 2024/25. This includes authorised and unauthorised absence; it is not the percentage of pupils who were persistently absent.
The score compares absence with 3,058 mainstream state secondary schools in England with both required measures for 2024/25. Lower absence receives a higher score. Attendance contributes 10% of the combined score and does not on its own measure teaching quality.
NAPupil progress
Not available for 2024/25
DfE did not publish Progress 8 for 2024/25 because the required KS2 assessments were cancelled during the pandemic. Progress would compare pupils’ outcomes with those of pupils with similar earlier attainment.
Pupil progress is not included in this version of Classpot Rating. Its absence does not reduce the school’s score.
Previous inspection · 2 Jun 2015Legacy grading · Good
Previous inspection judgements
Area
Judgement
Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership & management
Good
Published 14 Nov 2022.
Ofsted legacy grades; compare inspection dates and frameworks.
Catchment & distance
School location
Distance unavailable; check admission criteria with the school or council.
Admissions
Application dates · 2027/28 entry
Measure
Value
School’s local authority
Westmorland and Furness
Applications open
Usually 1 September 2026
Application deadline
31 October 2026
National offer day
1 March 2027
Apply through your home council; confirm local dates and any extra school forms.
Admissions demand · 2026/27
Measure
Value
Offers made on National Offer Day
123
First-preference applications
97
Applications (all preferences)
209
First-preference offers
97
Source: Published admissions data; follow each measure’s labelled basis, including all preferences where shown.
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School performance
GCSE results
GCSE results · 2024/25
Measure
Value
Attainment 8 (average score)
34.6
English & maths: grades 9–4
43.3%
English & maths: grades 9–5
23.3%
EBacc entry
19.3%
EBacc grades 9–4
10%
EBacc grades 9–5
5.3%
EBacc average point score
3.01
DfE · 2024/25; compare the same year and measure (— unavailable or suppressed).
Destinations after GCSE · 2022/23
Destination
Pupils
This school’s sixth form
2%
Sixth-form college
0%
Further education college
64.2%
Apprenticeship
18.9%
Employment
5.4%
Not sustained
6.8%
Unknown
2%
Cohort: 148 pupils · Sustained education or employment: 91.2%
DfE destinations follow school leavers, not current pupils.
Students and teachers
17.5 pupils per qualified teacher
2025/26 · Full-time equivalent teachers, not class size.
Students
Number of pupilsPeriod not recorded
624
School capacityPeriod not recorded
916
Free school meals (FSM)2025/26
28%
English as an additional language (EAL)2025/26
10.7%
Attendance2024/25
90.25%
Persistent absence (10% or more of sessions)2024/25
27.42%
Classes & attendance
Average class size2025/26
24.2
Suspensions per 100 pupils2024/25
43.47
Suspensions (count)2024/25
293
Permanent exclusions per 100 pupils2024/25
0.45
Permanent exclusions (count)2024/25
3
More pupil data
Absence breakdown
Measure
Value
Authorised absence2024/25
5.19%
Unauthorised absence2024/25
4.56%
Ethnic background · 2025/26
Group
Pupils
White British
82.2%
White other
1.9%
Mixed
2.1%
Asian
7.7%
Black
3.4%
Other
2.6%
DfE school, census, workforce, absence and exclusion data; periods vary, and missing values are not zero.
Published SEND Data
Autism
Dyslexia
Mental Health
Speech & Language
Vision
Physical
Learning Difficulty
Other
DfE data; confirm current support with the school's SENCO.
School day & term dates
School day
Measure
Value
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:20
Source: School website · checked 2026-05-19; confirm current arrangements.
Check the school website for term dates, holidays and INSET days.
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FAQ about St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow
St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This is the overall judgement recorded under the inspection framework in use on the inspection date. Read the report and date before comparing it with newer inspections.
St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow recorded 97 first-choice applications and 123 offers made on national offer day for 2026/27. That is 0.8 first-choice applications per offer made. This is a historic demand signal, not an individual admission probability or a catchment boundary. Admission criteria, address, preferences and the applicant cohort also matter.
DfE data for St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow lists these SEND need or provision categories: Specific Learning Difficulty (Dyslexia), Moderate Learning Difficulty, Social, Emotional & Mental Health, Speech, Language & Communication, Visual Impairment, and 3 more categories. This does not guarantee a particular place or service. Contact the school's SENCO for its current provision.
St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow's published exam results include: 23% achieved grade 5+ in English and Maths GCSE; Attainment 8 score of 34.6. Check the result year before comparing schools.
Results: Published results describe a past pupil cohort. Compare the same measure and reporting year; attainment and progress measure different things. Understanding secondary results.
Inspection: Read the inspection date and full report alongside the headline judgement. Schools inspected under different frameworks cannot be compared using a headline grade alone. Understanding Ofsted inspections.
Admissions: Applications and places describe past demand, not your child’s chance of an offer. Check the entry year and current admission criteria, including any priority groups. School admissions timeline.
