St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Lanchester, Durham

Ofsted's report card from its 17 March 2026 inspection grades St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Lanchester on 7 areas: 7 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils typically develop appropriate knowledge and skills from the curriculum."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Attendance is in line with national averages or improving over time, including for disadvantaged pupils, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those known to children's social care."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders ensure there is a broad and ambitious well-sequenced curriculum in place."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders set high expectations for all pupils."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders and governors are rightly proud of their impact since the last inspection."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders teach pupils to stay safe in the wider community."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "The sixth form has a tight-knit family ethos."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should build on improvements in teaching and support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities so that pupils consistently achieve in their learning, attend well and meet the school's high expectations for behaviour"; "Leaders should continue to build positive relationships with all stakeholders so that high-quality partnership work further enhances pupils' outcomes and wider development"; "Leaders should ensure that teaching, including in the sixth form, consistently helps pupils build on prior knowledge to deepen, extend and connect their learning".

In 2026, pupils at St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Lanchester averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.6 in County Durham and 47 across England.

43% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 42% in County Durham and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 44.9.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.22: pupils made above 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 33.1, against 49.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 16 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and History.

For September 2026 entry, 205 families put St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Lanchester as their first choice and 409 named it as one of their preferences, for 221 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Lanchester are North Durham Academy (3.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 39.9); Tanfield School (3.7 miles, Attainment 8 54.4); Consett Academy (3.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47.2); and Hassockfield Secure Training Centre (4.4 miles).

St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Lanchester's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.

St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Lanchester is one of 47 schools run by Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 51.3 in 2024/25.

258 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Lanchester (as of April 2026): 60% would recommend the school, 61% say their child is happy there and 35% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (67%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (35%).

Of the 233 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 86% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 45% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 5% into work.

Of the 82 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 62% went on to university or other higher education, 6% to apprenticeships and 22% into work. 20% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

7.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 143 pupils (11.5%) received SEN support and 25 (2%) 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.

There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Lanchester.

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Bede's School Grounds (se-bound), 70 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 17 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, other theft and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in County Durham (84).

In 2024/25, St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Lanchester issued 243 suspensions, 19.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.

The primary schools closest to St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Lanchester are All Saints' Catholic Primary School, Lanchester (0.3 miles); Lanchester Endowed Parochial Primary School (0.3 miles); and Burnhope Primary School (1.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.