Academy converter · Northumberland

St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy

11–18Ages
994Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
Sixth formAges 16–18
141814URN

Ridge Terrace, Bedlington, NE22 6ED · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jan 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.5per place

0.2 above Northumberland median (1.3)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Northumberland

199 applications for 134 places · 3rd of 10 in Northumberland

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

43.6of 90

Northumberland 43.6 England 46.0

9th of 16 in Northumberland

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 17 January 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Sixth form provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.5applications per place, Year 7

0.2 above Northumberland median (1.3) 0.7 below England median (2.2)

199 applications · 134 places offered · 128 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 1.5; Northumberland median median 1.3
2025 1.5; Northumberland median median 1.4
2024 1.5; Northumberland median median 1.4
2023 1.4; Northumberland median median 1.4
2022 1.5; Northumberland median median 1.3
2021 1.4; Northumberland median median 1.4
2020 1.4; Northumberland median median 1.4
2019 1.3; Northumberland median median 1.3
2018 1.5; Northumberland median median 1.1
2017 1.3; Northumberland median median 1.2
2016 1.5; Northumberland median median 1.1
2015 1.3; Northumberland median median 1.1; as the previous school
2014 1.6; Northumberland median median 1.1; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Northumberland median in 10 of 11 years.

This school
Northumberland median

Dashed bars: as St Benet Biscop Catholic Voluntary Aided High School (URN 122367), the previous school.

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	134	199	1.5	128	0.96
Sep 2025	162	246	1.5	160	0.99
Sep 2024	192	285	1.5	143	0.74
Sep 2023	205	285	1.4	151	0.74
Sep 2022	179	269	1.5	164	0.92
Sep 2021	201	287	1.4	196	0.98
Sep 2020	188	271	1.4	171	0.91
Sep 2019	176	234	1.3	176	1.00
Sep 2018	62	91	1.5	58	0.94
Sep 2017	107	140	1.3	103	0.96
Sep 2016	106	155	1.5	112	1.06
Sep 2015 *	136	180	1.3	139	1.02
Sep 2014 *	148	230	1.6	162	1.09

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

174 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)43.69th of 16 in Northumberland

Northumberland 43.6 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths35%11th of 16 in Northumberland

Northumberland 39% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths59%

Northumberland 60% England 66%

This school
Northumberland median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.17

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	174	43.6	35%	59%	–
2024/25	187	41.3	31%	56%	–
2023/24	201	44.7	39%	63%	−0.17
2022/23	201	45.0	35%	61%	−0.13

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

St Benet Biscop Catholic AcademyThis school
This school

Good2023

1.5applications per place 43.6Attainment 8
Bedlington Academy
2.7 km · Northumberland

Good2022

1.4applications per place 47.6Attainment 8
The Blyth Academy
3.8 km · Northumberland

Standards maintained2025

1.2applications per place 40.7Attainment 8
Ashington Academy
5.3 km · Northumberland

Good2022

1.3applications per place 48.3Attainment 8
Bede Academy
5.6 km · Northumberland

Good2024

1.8applications per place 45.4Attainment 8
NCEA Duke's Secondary School
6.1 km · Northumberland

2026

1.3applications per place 36.3Attainment 8
Cramlington Learning Village
6.3 km · Northumberland

2026

1.2applications per place 47.5Attainment 8
The King Edward VI School
7.3 km · Northumberland

Graded · no overall grade2024

51.1Attainment 8
Morpeth Chantry Middle School
7.4 km · Northumberland

2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 141814 · 929/4632
Trust: Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 1,140 pupils · 994 on roll
Free school meals: 33.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 March 2015
Replaced: St Benet Biscop Catholic Voluntary Aided High School (URN 122367)
Address: Ridge Terrace, Bedlington, NE22 6ED
Local authority: Northumberland

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources