Schools by area › County Durham › St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College
St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy
Westway, Peterlee SR8 1DE · st-bedes.org · 0191 587 6220
Overview
- Ofsted
- Remains Good
- Ungraded inspection · Jun 2023
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 44.5
- average Attainment 8 score. County Durham 44.1, England 46
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 891
- 81% of 1,100 places
- Local authority
- County Durham
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 39.1%
- First language not English
- 7.1%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 103 families put the school first and 107 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 107 | 103 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 119 | 118 | 1 | 98% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 156 | 151 | 1 | 99% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 173 | 167 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 203 | 192 | 0.9 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 44.5, and 42.1% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across County Durham it was 44.1, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C (28.6 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ●44.5 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼42.1% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼60.5% | 64.8% | ||
| ▲48.0% | 40.5% | ||
| ●3.92 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 114327)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 37.9 | −13.4 |
| Further education | 50.7 | +12.5 |
| Other education | 0.7 | — |
| Apprenticeship | 5 | +1.1 |
| Employment | 2.9 | +1.6 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 2.9 | −2.4 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 students | C (28.6) | Average -0.24 | |
| 26 students | C (28.6) | Average -0.24 | |
| 11 students | Dist- (31.1) | Average -0.24 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 29 | C (30.4) | -0.29 |
| 2022/23 | 30 | C+ (33.4) | — |
| 2021/22 | 42 | B- (37) | — |
| 2018/19 | 27 | C- (27.6) | -0.24 |
| 2017/18 | 36 | B- (35.4) | +0.13 |
| 2016/17 | 27 | C (29) | -0.20 |
| 2015/16 | 99 | C (29.7) | +0.06 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 64.5 | −15.9 |
| Further education | 3.2 | +1.2 |
| Apprenticeship | 12.9 | +7 |
| Employment | 12.9 | +5.1 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 6.5 | +2.6 |
Ofsted
At an ungraded inspection on 14 June 2023, Ofsted’s outcome for St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College was: School remains Good.
- Outcome
- Remains Good
- Inspected
- 13 Jun 2023
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Feb 2017
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 114327), which Ofsted links to this one.
Before September 2019
Feb 2017Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good 16 to 19 study programmes Good Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 114327)
Jan 2015Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 114327)
What parents said
71% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (119 replies, to 1 April 2024).
- Recommend
- 71%
- Replies
- 119
- 13% · 1 Apr 2024
based on the 87% who raised concerns
based on the 47% who had a child bullied
based on 45 parents (38%) with SEND