St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy, Bedlington

In its own words: "The promotion of 'British values' is central to Catholic education because British values have their origin in the Christian values of our nation. British values are considered by the present government to be: Our Catholic Ethos makes a tangible difference to the way we work together and with our wider communities."

In 2026, pupils at St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 43.6, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 43.9 in Northumberland and 47 across England.

35% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 41% in Northumberland and 47% in England.

That is up from 41.3 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.17: pupils made below 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 32, against 47.7 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 15.7 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Spanish.

For September 2026 entry, 128 families put St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy as their first choice and 199 named it as one of their preferences, for 134 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 Benet Biscop Catholic Academy are Bedlington Academy (1.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47.6); The Blyth Academy (2.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 40.7); Ashington Academy (3.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.3); and Kyloe House (3.5 miles).

St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.

St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy is one of 39 schools run by Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 50.6 in 2024/25.

Of the 201 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 86% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 52% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 78 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 63% went on to university or other higher education, 13% to apprenticeships and 18% into work. 15% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

6.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 146 pupils (14.7%) received SEN support and 23 (2.3%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Bedlington Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ridge Terrace (eb), 100 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 88 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Northumberland (44), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy issued 312 suspensions, 29.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 6 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy are St Bede's Catholic Primary School (under 0.1 miles), Bedlington West End Primary School (0.1 miles), Meadowdale Academy (0.2 miles) and Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.