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St Benedict's Catholic High School

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Voluntary aided

Red Lonning, Hensingham, Whitehaven CA28 8UG · st-benedicts.cumbria.sch.uk · 01946 692275

On the mapSearch near CA28 8UG

Overview

Ofsted
Standards maintained
Ungraded inspection · Jun 2025
GCSEs, 2024/25
41.2
average Attainment 8 score. Cumberland 42.3, England 46
Demand for places
1.0
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
990
83% of 1,194 places
Local authority
Cumberland
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
31.6%
First language not English
6.5%
School census 2025/26

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 187 families put the school first and 191 places were offered; 99% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 211 (Places 190)211September 2023: 179 (Places 178)179September 2024: 156 (Places 177)156September 2025: 160 (Places 163)160September 2026: 187 (Places 191)187Places 191
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 2026191187199%
September 2025Sept 20251631601100%
September 2024Sept 20241771560.9100%
September 2023Sept 20231781791▲99%
September 2022Sept 20221902111.1▲87%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 41.2, and 32.9% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Cumberland it was 42.3, and across England 46.

In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C (30.1 points per entry).

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 41.8 (England 46.3)41.82017/18: 44.6 (England 46.5)44.62018/19: 44.0 (England 46.7)44.02021/22: 47.0 (England 48.8)47.02022/23: 44.4 (England 46.3)44.42023/24: 42.6 (England 45.9)42.62024/25: 41.2 (England 46.0)41.2England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▼41.246.0
▼32.9%45.4%
▼53.0%64.8%
▼19.5%40.5%
▼3.464.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form28.5−13.9
Further education40.6+5
Other education0.6−0.4
Apprenticeship17.6+4.9
Employment2.4+0.4
Not in a lasting destination6.1+1.7
Activity not captured4.2+2.7

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252015/16: 29.3 (England 30.5)C2016/17: 27.8 (England 31.1)C-2017/18: 27.7 (England 32.1)C-2018/19: 25.9 (England 32.9)C-2021/22: 33.7 (England 37.9)C+2022/23: 24.7 (England 34.2)D+2023/24: 28.3 (England 34.4)C2024/25: 30.1 (England 35.0)CEngland 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
67 studentsC (30.1)Below average -0.45
71 studentsC (30.7)Below average -0.40
37 studentsDist (35.4)Average +0.14
14.3%AAB or better
87.9%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/2483C (28.3)-0.43
2022/2372D+ (24.7)—
2021/2266C+ (33.7)—
2018/1964C- (25.9)-0.27
2017/1864C- (27.7)-0.10
2016/1797C- (27.8)+0.01
2015/1691C (29.3)+0.10

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University44.6−17.4
Further and other education3.6—
Further education1.2—
Other education2.4—
Apprenticeship31.3+7.4
Employment15.7+5.8
Not in a lasting destination3.6+0.8
Activity not captured1.2−0.2

Ofsted

At an ungraded inspection on 4 June 2025, Ofsted’s outcome for St Benedict's Catholic High School was: Standards maintained.

Outcome
Standards maintained
Inspected
3 Jun 2025
Ungraded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Previously: Remains Good, ungraded inspection, Dec 2019

Earlier inspections

September 2019 to November 2025

  • Dec 2019Ungraded inspectionRemains Good
    SafeguardingEffective

Before September 2019

  • Sept 2014Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    16 to 19 study programmesGood
  • Mar 2013Requires improvement
    Outcomes for pupilsRequires improvement
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentRequires improvement
    Leadership and managementGood

What parents said

86% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (66 replies, to 1 September 2025).

Recommend
86%
Replies
66
7% · 1 Sept 2025
Child is happy at school▼80% agreeEngland 89%
Child feels safe●88% agreeEngland 90%
Pupils are well behaved▼74% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations▼79% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well▼84% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn▼74% agreeEngland 84%
Told how child is doing▲92% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects●92% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities▼88% agreeEngland 91%
Supports personal development●77% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly▼70% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 77% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▼47% agreeEngland 50%

based on the 30% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▲83% agreeEngland 67%

based on 23 parents (35%) with SEND

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