Schools by area › Westmorland and Furness › St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow
St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Academy
Rating Lane, Barrow-in-Furness LA13 9LE · stbernardsschool.uk · 01229 814560
On the mapSearch near LA13 9LE
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Sept 2022
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 34.6
- average Attainment 8 score. Westmorland and Furness 45.4, England 46
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Year 7, September 2026 entry · Westmorland and Furness Council
- Demand for places
- 0.8
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 624
- 68% of 916 places
- Local authority
- Westmorland and Furness
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 28.3%
- First language not English
- 10.7%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: Westmorland and Furness Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 97 families put the school first and 123 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 | 123 | 97 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 102 | 94 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 124 | 108 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 112 | 76 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 135 | 115 | 0.9 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 34.6, and 23.3% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Westmorland and Furness it was 45.4, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼34.6 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼23.3% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼43.3% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼19.3% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.01 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 112400)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 15.3 | +10.3 |
| Further education | 52.7 | −6.2 |
| Apprenticeship | 16 | −5.3 |
| Employment | 3.8 | −1.9 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 7.6 | +1.2 |
| Activity not captured | 4.6 | +1.8 |
Ofsted
St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 27 September 2022, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 27 Sept 2022
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Previously: Concerns, ungraded inspection, Mar 2019
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 112400), which Ofsted links to this one.
Before September 2019
Mar 2019Ungraded inspectionConcerns
Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 112400)
Jun 2015Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 112400)
Dec 2013Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate Leadership and management Requires improvement Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 112400)
What parents said
82% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (65 replies, to 4 September 2023).
- Recommend
- 82%
- Replies
- 65
- 9% · 4 Sept 2023
based on the 66% who raised concerns
based on the 34% who had a child bullied
based on 14 parents (22%) with SEND