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Academy converter · Westmorland and Furness

St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow

  • 11–16Ages
  • 624Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • Roman CatholicReligious character
  • 148702URN

Rating Lane, Barrow-in-Furness, LA13 9LE · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Sep 2022 Previous framework

Good
  • Quality of education
  • Behaviour and attitudes
  • Personal development
  • Leadership and management
What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
1.7per place
close to Westmorland and Furness median (1.6)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Westmorland and FurnessSelective

209 applications for 123 places · 6th of 13 in Westmorland and Furness
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
38.5of 90
18th of 19 in Westmorland and Furness
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Overall effectiveness: Good · 27 September 2022Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
AreaOutstandingGoodRequires improvementInadequate
Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood

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
1.7applications per place, Year 7
close to Westmorland and Furness median (1.6) 0.5 below England median (2.2)

209 applications · 123 places offered · 97 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

  1. 2026 1.7; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.6
  2. 2025 2.3; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.6
  3. 2024 1.9; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.6
  4. 2023 1.8; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.7
  5. 2022 1.8; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.7
  6. 2021 2.3; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.7; as the previous school
  7. 2020 2.1; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.7; as the previous school
  8. 2019 2.2; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.7; as the previous school
  9. 2018 2.2; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.7; as the previous school
  10. 2017 2.3; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.7; as the previous school
  11. 2016 2.4; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.7; as the previous school
  12. 2015 2.7; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.7; as the previous school
  13. 2014 2.2; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.6; as the previous school
More applications per place than the Westmorland and Furness median in 5 of 5 years.
  • This school
  • Westmorland and Furness median

Dashed bars: as St Bernard's Catholic High School (URN 112400), 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.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20261232091.7970.79
Sep 20251022342.3940.92
Sep 20241242411.91080.87
Sep 20231122031.8760.68
Sep 20221352491.81150.85
Sep 2021 *1052452.3930.89
Sep 2020 *1442992.11050.73
Sep 2019 *1423052.21330.94
Sep 2018 *1393112.21391.00
Sep 2017 *1303042.31301.00
Sep 2016 *1333142.41240.93
Sep 2015 *1133002.71030.91
Sep 2014 *1753852.21751.00

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

116 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)38.518th of 19 in Westmorland and Furness
Grade 5 or above in English and maths33%16th of 19 in Westmorland and Furness
Grade 4 or above in English and maths54%
  • This school
  • Westmorland and Furness median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.63
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)11638.533%54%–
2024/2515034.623%43%–
2023/2413139.234%57%−0.63
2022/2314841.329%53%−0.55

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

  • 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
148702 · 943/4634
Trust
Mater Christi Multi-Academy Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Religious character
Roman Catholic
Capacity
916 pupils · 624 on roll
Free school meals
28.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 September 2021
Replaced
St Bernard's Catholic High School (URN 112400)
Address
Rating Lane, Barrow-in-Furness, LA13 9LE
Local authority
Westmorland and Furness

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