St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow
Rating Lane, Barrow-in-Furness, LA13 9LEOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow is a secondary school in Barrow-in-Furness for ages 11 to 16. It is one of the 160 schools in Westmorland and Furness. It ranks 18th of 20 secondary schools in Westmorland and Furness. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in September 2022.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 27 September 2022, report published 14 November 2022
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 27 September 2022
St Bernard's Catholic High School is a positive learning community which values kindness, hard work and resilience. Pupils appreciate the strong relationships that they forge with staff. Pupils feel valued as individuals. They are happy. Pupils enjoy coming to school to learn and they said that they feel safe. Pupils respect each other's differences. Pupils told inspectors that if bullying does happen, teachers and other adults respond quickly to resolve any issues. Leaders have high expectations of pupils' behaviour and achievement. Most pupils meet these expectations. Pupils follow a suitably ambitious curriculum. They benefit from studying a broad range of subjects. Lessons are calm and orderly places in which to learn. Pupils value the extensive programme of activities that leaders have put in place for them. Through this programme, pupils are given a wealth of opportunities to widen their horizons and deepen their understanding of the world. They take part enthusiastically in a wide range of clubs and sports. They enjoy residential visits both locally and in Europe.
What the school should improve
- The proportion of pupils following the full EBacc curriculum is low. This limits the range of qualifications that pupils can acquire to set them up well for their future lives. Leaders should ensure that the changes to the key stage 3 curriculum are maximised to encourage more pupils to follow the full suite of qualifications at key stage 4.
- In a small number of subjects, leaders' curriculum thinking is less well developed. This means that teachers are not clear about the essential knowledge that should be taught and emphasised. At times, this leads to gaps in pupils' knowledge and slows their progress through the curriculum. Leaders should finalise their curriculum thinking so that teachers know what should be taught and when this should happen.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
150 pupils in the year group
Pupil numbers and mix
624 pupils on roll, with places for 916
Schools near St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chetwynde School | 0.2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 44.2 |
| Furness Academy | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 42.4 |
| Moorfield Learning Centre | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Dowdales School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 41.8 |
| Walney Academy | 3 miles | Ofsted judgements: Requires improvement | Attainment 8: 38.7 |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- MATER CHRISTI MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Sixth form
- No
- Headteacher
- Mr Daniel Vince
- Phone
- 01229814560
- Address
- Rating Lane, Barrow-in-Furness, LA13 9LE
- Local authority
- Westmorland and Furness
- URN
- 148702
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.