St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, Brighton

Ofsted's report card from its 6 January 2026 inspection grades St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School on 7 areas: 2 strong standard and 5 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders have created a highly inclusive environment."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Pupils are very well prepared for future life in Britain."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Overall, pupils achieve well and are securely prepared for their future learning."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders continuously and positively reinforce the importance of regular attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have designed a broad, engaging and ambitious curriculum that contributes well to pupils' enjoyment of learning in all subjects."

Early years - Expected standard. "The well-designed early years curriculum ensures that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, access all areas of learning effectively."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have high expectations of all pupils."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should continue their work to ensure that the revised curriculum in handwriting, spelling and multiplication tables facts is securely embedded in all year groups, so that pupils' achievement is consistently high across all areas of learning. • Leaders should ensure that staff continue to embed the teaching of behaviour strategies so that pupils demonstrate consistent self-discipline and dedication to learning".

In 2025, 84% of Year 6 pupils at St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 72% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 69% in Brighton and Hove and 77% and 75% across England.

Results were similar in 2024 (84% in reading, 69% in maths).

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 36 families put St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School as their first choice and 141 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 7 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state primary schools to St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School are Balfour Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 87% reading, 84% maths); Stanford Primary School (0.6 miles, Good); Stanford Junior School (0.8 miles, Good, 74% reading, 73% maths); and Cottesmore St Mary's Catholic Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 80% reading, 78% maths).

St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.

31 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School (as of April 2026): 87% would recommend the school, 87% say their child is happy there and 25% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (94%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (25%).

12.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 27.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (52%), Mixed (17%) and Asian (8%).

The nearest railway station is Preston Park Rail Station, about 310 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Harrington Road (adjacent), 120 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 209 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Brighton and Hove (366).

In 2024/25, St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School issued 3 suspensions, 1.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School are Dorothy Stringer School (0.3 miles), Varndean School (0.6 miles), Cardinal Newman Catholic School (0.7 miles) and Patcham High School (1.1 miles).