St Bede's Roman Catholic High School, Blackburn
Blackburn, BB2 4SR · Blackburn with Darwen · secondary school
Check the area around this school
5th of 12 secondary schools in Blackburn with Darwen we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 896 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 4.4/10 among them, against 5.0/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 51.9 · 67 | 46% | 3.08 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.25 · 31 | 38% | 1.19 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 45.4 · 46 | 15% | 0.71 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
St Bede's Roman Catholic High School, Blackburn overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 53.5% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 47.4, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 in 2023/24 was -0.25, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 4.8 out of 10 among them, against 5.4 out of 10 nationally.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils participate in gymnastics.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,051 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,050. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to improve their progress scores? What are the specific entry criteria for the next academic year?
What Ofsted said about St Bede's Roman Catholic High School, Blackburn
Overview
Pupils are described as “proud and happy to attend this caring school,” where they “strive to live up to the school’s aspiration to be the best version of themselves.” The inspection found that the school has significantly improved since its previous rating, with staff who “know the pupils well” supporting high achievement and an “ambitious curriculum.” Overall, the school provides a calm, orderly environment where most pupils behave well and receive effective support for their personal development.
Strengths
- The curriculum is “ordered effectively,” allowing pupils to “build successfully on what they have learned previously,” with a broadened range of subjects in key stage 4.
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) “receive appropriate support to achieve well” and are “fully included in the life of the school.”
- Behaviour during lessons is strong, with an atmosphere that is “calm and orderly” and “low-level disruption... extremely rare.”
- Staff benefit from “effective training” and development opportunities, leading to “astute choices in the design of learning activities.”
- Personal development is supported by activities that help pupils understand safety, healthy relationships, and respect for difference.
Areas to improve
- A small number of pupils do not meet high behaviour expectations during unstructured times; the school should ensure staff “apply behaviour policies consistently” throughout the day.
- The curriculum does not sufficiently support some pupils to express themselves verbally; the school should implement systems to support “oracy” so pupils can “express themselves clearly and confidently.”
Safeguarding
The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 44.1 |
| 2024/25 | 47.4 |
| 2025/26 | 45.4 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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