Schools by area › Suffolk › St Benedict's Catholic School
St Benedict's Catholic School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy
Beetons Way, Bury St Edmunds IP32 6RH · st-benedicts.suffolk.sch.uk · 01284 753512
On the mapSearch near IP32 6RH
Overview
- Ofsted
- Standards maintained
- Ungraded inspection · Jun 2025
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 49.8
- average Attainment 8 score. Suffolk 42.8, England 46
- Demand for places
- 1.4
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 968
- 116 over 852 places · 114%
- Local authority
- Suffolk
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 11.6%
- First language not English
- 23.5%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 239 families put the school first and 167 places were offered; 69% 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 | 167 | 239 | 1.4▲ | 69% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 160 | 232 | 1.5▲ | 68% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 169 | 198 | 1.2▲ | 80% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 165 | 169 | 1▲ | 88% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 173 | 202 | 1.2▲ | 83% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 49.8, and 49.7% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Suffolk it was 42.8, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade B- (35.8 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▲49.8 | 46.0 | ||
| ▲49.7% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲71.7% | 64.8% | ||
| ▲54.7% | 40.5% | ||
| ▲4.60 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 124861)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 54.7 | −7.9 |
| Sixth form college | 4.3 | +2.5 |
| Further education | 30.4 | +4 |
| Other education | 0.6 | −0.6 |
| Apprenticeship | 1.2 | 0 |
| Employment | 3.1 | −0.6 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 4.3 | +1.8 |
| Activity not captured | 1.2 | +0.6 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 81 students | B- (35.8) | Average +0.08 | |
| 81 students | B- (35.9) | Average +0.08 | |
| 10 students | Merit+ (29.8) | Average +0.14 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 63 | C+ (34.8) | +0.14 |
| 2022/23 | 70 | B- (36.5) | — |
| 2021/22 | 70 | B (41.6) | — |
| 2018/19 | 66 | B- (37.4) | +0.35 |
| 2017/18 | 84 | C+ (32.7) | -0.04 |
| 2016/17 | 68 | C+ (32.7) | +0.10 |
| 2015/16 | 81 | B- (36.6) | +0.26 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 70.8 | +5 |
| Further education | 4.6 | +1.9 |
| Employment | 13.8 | −6.7 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 4.6 | +1.9 |
| Activity not captured | 6.2 | −0.6 |
Ofsted
At an ungraded inspection on 4 June 2025, Ofsted’s outcome for St Benedict's Catholic School was: Standards maintained.
- Outcome
- Standards maintained
- Inspected
- 3 Jun 2025
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Remains Good, ungraded inspection, Apr 2022
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 124861), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Apr 2022Ungraded inspectionRemains Good
Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 124861)
Before September 2019
Sept 2016Good
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 Outstanding Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 124861)
Sept 2014Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement 16 to 19 study programmes Outstanding Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 124861)
What parents said
90% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (253 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 90%
- Replies
- 253
- 26% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 65% who raised concerns
based on the 32% who had a child bullied
based on 63 parents (25%) with SEND