St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School Review 2026: Catholic 11–16 in Whitchurch, Bristol

On Fossedale Avenue in Whitchurch, school life is framed by Catholic rhythm: prayer sits inside the daily routine, and a lay chaplain is a visible part of pastoral support. That matters because it signals a school where faith is not an add-on, but where belonging is also widened beyond one tradition.

St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School is a state secondary school for boys and girls aged 11 to 16 in Bristol, Bristol. It is a non-selective, Catholic voluntary aided school with a published capacity of 750 students. There is no sixth form, so the key transition is at 16. The 2025 Ofsted inspection rated the school Good.

Admissions are competitive. Recent demand figures show 408 applications for 144 offers (around 2.83 applications per place), so families need to take the timeline and criteria seriously.

Badges matter here. Students are recognised for conduct and character, and many wear their awards with pride. The tone that creates is practical rather than showy: expectations are clear, routines are consistent, and classrooms are not meant to run on constant reminders.

The Catholic identity is explicit, but not narrowly drawn. Students are expected to be part of a school culture shaped by Gospel values, with worship and liturgy marking the year; at the same time, the language of inclusion is strong, and students are expected to treat difference with respect. A lay chaplain also adds a particular kind of steadiness, especially for teenagers who need a safe, trusted adult outside the usual teaching structure.

A distinctive strand is literacy. Reading is placed at the centre of school life, with structured time to read and deliberate encouragement for students to carry books and talk about them. That sort of culture can be a quiet game-changer: it supports confidence in every subject, not just English.

GCSE results

GCSE outcomes sit below the England average on the main measures used for comparison. St Bernadette’s Attainment 8 score is 43, and its Progress 8 score is -0.32, which indicates students make less progress than similar students nationally from their starting points.

The school ranks 2855th in England and 39th in Bristol for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). That places it below England average overall, within the lower 40% of schools in England on this measure. The picture is similar on EBacc indicators: the school’s average EBacc APS is 3.57 compared with an England average of 4.08, and 4.9% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above in the EBacc.

For parents, these numbers are a prompt to ask targeted questions: where progress is strongest, how the school is closing gaps in knowledge, and what support looks like for students who are behind in reading or attendance. If you are weighing options across Bristol, the FindMySchool comparison tools are a practical way to view these GCSE measures side by side, rather than relying on reputation.

Teaching is built around a broad curriculum with clear sequencing. Students are expected to build knowledge over time and connect new content to what they already know, with staff working to keep a consistent approach across subjects. That kind of coherence is often what children notice first, even if they would not describe it that way: lessons feel like they are going somewhere, not just filling an hour.

Reading support is a defining thread. The school has a structured reading strategy, including a daily “Drop Everything and Read” slot where students read for a set period in a lesson, whichever subject they are in, with staff modelling reading too. For many families, that is the sort of small, repeatable habit that adds up over five years.

There are also areas to watch closely. Some teaching activities do not always match what students already know and can do, which can limit how securely new learning sticks for some learners. The best question to ask is not whether this happens, but how quickly it is spotted and corrected: what checks are used, and how teachers adapt tasks when gaps appear.

With no sixth form, the school’s success is partly measured by how well it prepares students to choose and manage the next step at 16. Careers education is not treated as a last-minute talk. Students receive guidance about college routes and longer-term options, and they are introduced to the world of work through careers activity that includes engagement with local employers.

Work experience also features in the school calendar, which gives the key Stage 4 years a practical outward-facing dimension. For some students, that is the moment school becomes real: learning is no longer just for exams, but for a future that is starting to feel close.

Families should still do their own homework on post-16 fit. If you already have a preferred sixth form college or vocational route in mind, ask how the school supports applications, references, and transition, and whether subject choices at key Stage 4 align cleanly with that plan.

Routes and criteria

St Bernadette is its own admissions authority, and it uses a Supplementary Information Form alongside the local authority’s coordinated application. The oversubscription criteria are explicitly faith-shaped. Priority is given to Catholic looked-after and previously looked-after children, then Catholic children living in the school’s designated parishes, then other Catholic children. There are further categories for other looked-after children, catechumens, children of staff, children of other Christian denominations, children of other faiths, and then any other children.

Within categories, additional priority is given to students attending named Catholic partner primary schools and to siblings already at the school. Where categories rely on distance as a tie-break, the practical implication is simple: if you are applying outside the higher-priority faith categories, proximity can matter. FindMySchool’s Map Search is useful for checking the real-world journey to school when you are comparing several Bristol options.

Timeline and practicalities

For September 2026 entry, the final date for applications is 31 October 2025. Offers are issued on 2 March 2026, and parents and carers must respond by 16 March 2026. The school’s published timeline also sets an appeal deadline of 24 April 2026 for grounds to be lodged in writing.

Competition is real. Recent demand figures show 408 applications for 144 offers, so it is wise to treat St Bernadette as a first-choice application only if the Catholic criteria and geography fit your family, and to use all available preferences strategically.

A lay chaplain is an important signal in a secondary school: it adds a non-classroom pastoral route for students who need to talk, reflect, or reset. Catholic life is woven through the year with Mass on holy days, liturgies at key points, and opportunities such as reconciliation during Lent, structured so that Catholic and non-Catholic students can engage appropriately.

Safeguarding arrangements are effective, and students are taught how to stay safe, including online. Behaviour is described as calm and orderly, with staff consistently following systems so learning is rarely derailed. The net effect is a school that aims to feel secure for teenagers: boundaries are clear, and support is visible.

Attendance remains a live issue to follow. The school has taken action to improve it and more students are attending more regularly, but too many are still absent too often. For families, that matters because attendance is the lever that makes everything else work: routine, friendships, confidence, and academic progress.

The library is positioned as a working space, not a museum. It operates as a supervised study centre before school, at lunchtimes and after school, with 15 computers available for home learning and revision. It also hosts an after-school Homework Club, which is the sort of practical support that can make evenings less stressful for both students and parents.

Reading is also treated as a whole-school endeavour rather than a private hobby. Alongside daily reading time, students are drawn into wider literacy activity, from book-choice support to schemes such as Book Buzz and a classics giveaway. Fundraising through Readathon has been part of the programme too, which ties literacy to service rather than keeping it purely individual.

Sport and wider enrichment appear regularly in school communications and events. Competitive teams are active, and the school’s facilities include spaces such as a sports hall and a main hall with a stage and performance equipment. Trips, visits, and public speaking opportunities also play a role in building confidence, especially for students who grow through doing rather than only revising.

Transport & parking

Whitchurch is a practical south Bristol location for many families, and the school sits on a residential road, so travel planning matters. For rail travel into Bristol, Bristol Temple Meads is the city’s main station; from there, families typically complete the journey by bus, car, or taxi depending on time of day. If you are driving, it is worth planning drop-off and pick-up carefully and leaving buffer time.

The school day

The school day starts with registration and tutor time at 08:45, with Period 1 beginning at 09:10. The day finishes at 15:15. Lunch is staggered, with two sittings running from 12:30 to 13:15 and 13:30 to 14:15.

Faith expectations: This is a Catholic school in more than name. Prayer, liturgy, chaplaincy, and Catholic values shape daily life. Families of other faiths, or none, can and do apply, but you should be comfortable with the school’s religious frame.

Competition for places: With 408 applications for 144 offers, admission is the obstacle; what happens after is only relevant if you can secure entry. Treat dates and paperwork as non-negotiable, especially the Supplementary Information Form if you are applying under faith-related criteria.

Academic progress: GCSE measures, especially a Progress 8 score of -0.32, point to progress that is below the England average overall. Ask where the school is strongest, what happens when students fall behind, and how teaching is adapted when starting points vary widely.

No sixth form: The next major step comes at 16. Students who like a fresh start can enjoy that. Others may prefer the continuity of a sixth form attached to a school, so it is worth considering how your child handles transition.

St Bernadette is a faith-centred, non-selective 11 to 16 school with clear routines, strong pastoral signals, and a deliberate focus on reading and character. It suits families who want a Catholic education in a mixed comprehensive setting, and who value calm behaviour and visible support structures.

The challenge lies in admission rather than what follows, with demand well above available offers. Once in, the key question for families is how well the school’s teaching and support will meet their child’s starting point, especially for students who need to accelerate progress quickly.