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Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School, Preston

Good
Secondary
Voluntary aided school
Mixed
Roman Catholic
Ages 11–16

Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Preston. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 15th-highest of the 22 schools in Preston with published results, and 1,931st of 3,298 across England. It was 95% full in 2025.

GCSE results
In line with England
Ofsted
Good (2015)
Demand
Oversubscribed
Attendance
Better than England average
Progress (2024)
Average
New inspections, open days and news, by email.

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days

Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Lancashire (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.

Data last updated 26 Oct 2026

Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School in detail

Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School in its own words

From the headteacher's welcome: "Each young adult entrusted to us has many God-given gifts and talents. As a school, our mission is to discover and develop these talents to their full potential. That light also represents hope, truth, courage and love and these should all be developed, shared and allowed to shine with generosity and pride."

Headteacher's welcome (school website)

Source: The school's own website

Results

In 2026, pupils at Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 44.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Lancashire and 47 across England.

37% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Lancashire and 47% in England.

That is down from 46.1 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.03: pupils made about average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 35.2, against 48.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 13.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and History.

Getting a place at Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School

For September 2026 entry, 150 families put Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School as their first choice and 363 named it as one of their preferences, for 159 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 17 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

Admissions history and your chances at Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School

Compared with nearby schools

The nearest other state secondary schools to Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School are Walton-Le-Dale High School (0.4 miles, Attainment 8 33.4); Lostock Hall Academy (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47.2); Christ The King Catholic High School (1.7 miles, Attainment 8 41); and Eden Boys' School, Preston (2.1 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 54.5).

Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Walton-Le-Dale High SchoolLostock Hall AcademyChrist The King Catholic High SchoolEden Boys' School, Preston

What parents say

106 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School (as of September 2025): 85% would recommend the school, 88% say their child is happy there and 70% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (91%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (70%).

Where pupils go next

Of the 133 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 80% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 58% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 5% into work.

Who goes there

5.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (80%) and Mixed (5%).

In 2026, 86 pupils (11.1%) received SEN support and 16 (2.1%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

Getting there

The nearest railway station is Bamber Bridge Rail Station, about 670 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Brownedge St Marys (opposite), 130 metres away.

The area around the school

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

Suspensions and exclusions

In 2024/25, Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School issued 45 suspensions, 5.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.

Primary schools nearby

The primary schools closest to Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School are St Mary's and St Benedict's Roman Catholic Primary School (0.2 miles); Bamber Bridge St Aidan's Church of England Primary School (0.3 miles); Walton-le-Dale Community Primary School (0.5 miles); and Cuerden Church School, Bamber Bridge (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.

St Mary's and St Benedict's Roman Catholic Primary SchoolBamber Bridge St Aidan's Church of England Primary SchoolWalton-le-Dale Community Primary SchoolCuerden Church School, Bamber Bridge

Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Nicola Oddie
Pupils:772
LA:Lancashire
Phone:01772339813
Address:Station Road, Bamber Bridge, Preston, PR5 6PB
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago

This judgement is from November 2015, 10 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.

-

Overall

Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.

Inspected 13 May 2025View full report
URN:119784
UKPRN:10017454
Diocese:Diocese of Salford
Constituency:Ribble Valley
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

From Ofsted's May 2025 inspection report.

What This School Does Well

Brownedge St Mary's creates a genuinely inclusive environment where every pupil feels valued and safe. The school excels at developing the whole person, offering an impressive range of sports, arts, and leadership opportunities alongside a carefully designed curriculum that builds knowledge and confidence. Pupils with additional needs receive expert support, and the school is quick to identify and help those who need it.

Key Strengths

  • Inclusive, warm ethos where pupils feel safe and valued - described as a 'family feel' school
  • Well-designed curriculum that provides pupils with broad knowledge and supports achievement
  • Extensive extra-curricular programme (sports, performing arts, charity work) accessible to all pupils
  • Strong support for pupils with SEND and those needing to catch up with reading
  • Excellent personal development programme with spiritual, moral and cultural opportunities; many pupils take on leadership roles

Areas for Improvement

  • Assessment strategies sometimes not effective enough - teachers don't always know if pupils have secured knowledge before moving on
  • Some pupils' misconceptions go unresolved and gaps in learning persist
  • Poor attendance among disadvantaged pupils has contributed to underachievement, though this is improving
  • In some subjects, checks on pupils' understanding are not effective - teaching sometimes moves on before pupils are ready

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with robust systems in place and an open, positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.

Extracurricular Activities

Sports, performing arts, charity work, social justice campaigns, leadership roles

Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School has maintained the standards identified at its previous inspection. The school is described as having a 'family feel' where pupils feel safe, valued, and supported to succeed.

About

Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School is a coeducational secondary school located in Bamber Bridge in the English county of Lancashire. It is a voluntary aided school administered by Lancashire County Council and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Salford.

From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

At a Glance

22.8%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

106 responses
Would recommend85%
Child is happy88%
Child does well88%
High expectations87%
Feels safe91%
Well behaved86%
Bullying dealt with (of parents with a view)70%
Kept informed89%
Handles concerns (of parents who raised one)78%
Wider development84%

Source: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree

Secondary Performance (GCSE)

Academic year 2025/26

GCSE Results

2023
2024
2025
2026
Attainment 8 GCSE Eng+Maths

2025/26 academic year

Progress 8 has remained stable at around 0.03 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has declined from 44.8 to 44.4 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has declined from 46% to 37% (2023 to 2026).

Performance by Group

GroupProgress 8Attainment 8Eng+Maths 5+
All pupils-44.437.4%
Disadvantaged(44)-35.220.5%
Not known to be disadvantaged(103)-48.344.7%
Boys(82)-41.031.7%
Girls(65)-48.844.6%
Show more breakdowns (2)
Known or believed to be other than English(12)-52.541.7%
Non mobile(146)-44.737.7%

2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data

GCSE Subjects Offered

English Language292
Mathematics292
English Literature286
Religious Studies276
Combined Science230
History184
Business Studies108
Sports Studies72
Computer Science66
French64
Biology48
Physics48
Chemistry48
Geography46
Design and Technology44
German42
Health Studies40
Art and Design34
Hospitality and Catering32
Drama26

+ 1 more subjects

2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils

After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations

After GCSEs (Year 11) - 133 students

Continued education80%
Further education58%
Apprenticeships5%
Employment5%
Not in education/employment7%

2023/24 data

Exclusions & Suspensions

4

Permanent exclusions

0.53%

Exclusion rate

45

Suspensions

5.92%

Suspension rate

25 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 760 pupils

2024/25 academic year

How Does This School Compare?

Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools

See peer comparison with Pro - £9 a month, or £90 a year, inc. VAT

Latest from Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School

From Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.

Social & online

Keep up with Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School

Term dates

Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Lancashire's term dates for its community schools.

Getting There

Train Stations

Bamber Bridge Rail Station (entrance)
665m · 11 min walk

Bus Stops

Brownedge St Marys (opp)
133m · 2 min walk
Station Road (by)
163m · 3 min walk
St Aidens Church (opp)
182m · 3 min walk
St Aidans Church (o/s)
190m · 3 min walk
Poplar Avenue (by)
194m · 3 min walk

Free school transport

Check free transport to Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School from your postcode →

You apply to the council where you live. Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School is in Lancashire; for families living there:

Safety and surroundings

Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)

Collisions
36
Fatal
1
Serious
15
Children hurt
13

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 15 serious and 20 slight.

13 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 5 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.

9 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.

The typical figure for schools in Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).

Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.

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Commute and house prices

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Your chances of a place at Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School

Will you get a place at Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School? Get the admissions report

Your home postcode, set against Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.

What the report includes for Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School:

  • The straight-line distance from your home to Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School.
  • We hold no last distance offered figures from Lancashire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
  • Applications, first choices and offers at Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
  • How many families in Lancashire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
  • The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
  • Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.

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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

95%

Near capacity

760 pupils

800 places

40 spare places in 2025

2025, DfE school capacity data

Area Demand Pressure - Preston

High pressure
New homes approved:6,347
Projected new pupils:1,142

Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Preston

Across Lancashire council

Low demand council-wide0.94 applications per place

Places available

14,702

Applications

13,782

Got 1st preference

87.1%

Got preferred school

97.2%

All secondary applications across Lancashire council (2026/27), not just this school.

This school: Oversubscribed

Inspection History(8)

13 May 2025

Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.

14 January 2020
4 November 2015
Leadership & ManagementGood

SEND & SEN Provision

SEN Overview

86

SEN Support

16

EHC Plans

13.2%

of Total Pupils

2026 academic year

Provision & Specialist Facilities

No specialist provision recorded

Pupils by Need Type

Social, Emotional & Mental Health29
Specific Learning Difficulty24
Autistic Spectrum Disorder22
Moderate Learning Difficulty8
Speech, Language & Communication8
Severe Learning Difficulty1
Hearing Impairment1
Visual Impairment1
Physical Disability1
Other1
EHC Plan
SEN Support

Pupil Demographics

Ethnicity

White British
80.3%
Asian
1.9%
Black
2.9%
Mixed
5.0%
Chinese
0.5%
Other
0.8%
Unclassified
2.3%

2026 academic year

Key Indicators

Free School Meals22.8%
English as Additional Language5.6%

772

Total Pupils

399

Boys

373

Girls

2026 academic year

Workforce

47

Teachers

16.4:1

Pupil-teacher ratio

£55,094

Mean salary

2026 data

School Funding

£7,082

Per pupil

£5746k

Total funding

£192k

Pupil premium

Deprivation£524,610
EAL funding£22,359
Lump sum£145,100

2025-26 financial year allocations

Pupil Absence
2024/25

7.4%

Overall absence

17.7%

Persistent absence

776

Enrolments

Authorised5.0%
Unauthorised2.4%
Persistent (10%+)17.7%
Severe (50%+)3.9%

Absence trend

5.2%
18/19
6.7%
20/21
9.0%
21/22
9.3%
22/23
8.1%
23/24
7.4%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

Feeder Primary Schools

Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity

Showing 10 of 14 linked schools

Questions parents ask about Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School

What are GCSE results like at Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School?

In the 2026 results, pupils at Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 44.4. 37% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.

What is Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School's Ofsted rating?

Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2015, it was rated Good.

What is the catchment area for Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School?

No fixed boundary. When Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.

Is it hard to get a place at Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School?

Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School was close to full in 2025, at 95% of its capacity.

How big are the classes at Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School?

Classes at Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School average 24.2 pupils (2025/26).

How many pupils go to Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School?

Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School has around 772 pupils on roll. 23% are eligible for free school meals.

What is attendance like at Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School?

7.4% of sessions were missed at Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School in 2024/25. 17.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).

How do I apply to Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School?

Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.

How many road collisions happen near Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School?

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 15 serious and 20 slight. 13 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 5 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 9 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).

Where is Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School?

Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School is at Station Road, Bamber Bridge, Preston, Lancashire, PR5 6PB.

Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)

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