St Bede’s was last inspected by Ofsted in January 2017 and was graded ‘outstanding’ in all areas. As a faith school, St Bede's is also subject to a Section 48 inspection by the Anglican diocesan of Southwark and the Catholic diocesan of Arundel and Brighton. This last inspection took place in November 2017 with the overall judgement graded ‘outstanding’.

Full copies of the inspection reports can be accessed below and a selection of extracts are given below. To view the most recent report and previous reports on the Ofsted website, please click here.

We invite all parents to participate in the Ofsted ‘ParentView’ by reviewing their experiences of the school.

Recent Examination Performance and School Statistics

Summary of key findings by Ofsted for parents and pupils

St Bede's is an outstanding school:

• The headteacher provides strong leadership, informed by his deeply held values. Since his appointment in 2014, he has taken decisive action to ensure highly effective teaching in the school.
• Governors have a sharp understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement in the school. They hold leaders rigorously to account for pupils’ outcomes.
• Pupils make exceptional progress in all year groups and in almost all subjects. Disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities also make rapid progress.
• Teachers go the extra mile to meet pupils’ individual needs exceptionally well. Their detailed subject knowledge, clear explanations and expert use of questioning ensure that pupils make rapid progress in their learning.
• Pupils conduct themselves impeccably in lessons and around the school. They are polite and welcoming to visitors and wear their uniforms with pride.
• A zest for learning permeates the whole school. Teachers’ high expectations mean that pupils are ambitious for their own futures and approach their learning with determination and resilience.
• Teaching in the sixth form is consistently challenging. As a result, students are motivated to learn and achieve excellent outcomes.
• The school’s distinctive Christian ethos sits at the heart of teachers’ work to ensure that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Pupils know how to stay safe and well-trained staff are ever vigilant.
• Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They value the school’s nurturing climate, the range of opportunities available to their children and the visible and approachable leadership of the headteacher.
• Leaders recognise that a small number of pupils do not attend school regularly enough. They have put in place robust plans to address absence, and these are beginning to have an impact.

• Key Documents

  • Ofsted Inspection February 2017
    Section 48 Final Report 6-7 December 2017