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St Benedict's Catholic High School

Red Lonning, Whitehaven, Cumberland, CA28 8UG

Not rated

Not yet inspected

Not inspected
Ofsted
43.8
Attainment 8
Secondary
Phase
11–18
Ages
992
Pupils
Mixed
Gender
Voluntary aided school
Type

About St Benedict's Catholic High School

St Benedict's Catholic High School is a voluntary aided school in Whitehaven, Cumberland, England, for pupils aged 11–18. It has 992 pupils on roll. The school has a Roman Catholic religious character. At GCSE, pupils achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 43.8 (2025/26). 29.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 6.5% have English as an additional language.

School Information

Local Authority
Cumberland →
School Type
Voluntary aided school
Phase
Secondary
Age Range
Ages 11–18
Gender
Mixed
Pupils / Capacity
992 / 1,194 (83%)
Sixth Form
Has a sixth form
Nursery
No Nursery Classes
Religious Character
Roman Catholic
Admissions Policy
Non-selective

Pupil profile

2025/26

Who attends this school — useful context if you’re considering teaching here.

29.3%
Free school meals
6.5%
EAL
6.0%
SEN support
11.3%
EHC plan

Source: DfE School Census, 2025/26, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Results & performance

2025/26

Official Department for Education results, pupil destinations and attendance.

GCSE results (Key Stage 4)

43.8
Attainment 8
156 pupils
39.7%
Grade 5+ English & Maths
59%
Grade 4+ English & Maths

Progress 8 isn’t published for this year group: their Key Stage 2 baseline (2021 SATs) was cancelled during the pandemic, so a progress measure can’t be calculated. GCSE figures are provisional and may be revised.

Sixth form (Key Stage 5)

C+
A-level average grade
28 students
14.3%
AAB+ (2 facilitating)
67%
To higher education
14%
To top-third universities
16%
To apprenticeship

Where pupils go next

92%
Sustained destination
75%
Stayed in education
13%
Apprenticeship

Attendance

8.5%
Overall absence
24.5%
Persistent absence

Source: Department for Education performance tables, 2025/26, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Some independent schools’ qualifications (e.g. IGCSEs) are not all reflected in these figures.

Workforce

2024/25

Staffing at this school, with the trend over recent years — useful if you’re considering working here.

62.52
Teachers (FTE)
↑ +9.8 vs 2023/24
15.9
Pupils per teacher
↓ -3.8 vs 2023/24
21.41
Teaching assistants (FTE)
↑ +3.9 vs 2023/24
£48,623
Avg teacher salary
Mean · 10% on leadership pay
↓ −£3,561 vs 2023/24
0
Teacher vacancies
0% rate
→ 0 vs 2023/24
7
Leadership (FTE)
↓ -1.0 vs 2023/24

Data for the 2024/25 academic year (trend lines show 3 years). Source: DfE School Workforce Census, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. State-funded schools only.

School finances

2024-25

How this school is funded and where the money goes — per pupil.

£8,680
Spend per pupil
£8,426
Income per pupil
62%
Spent on teaching staff

Source: DfE school finance returns (CFR for council-maintained schools, AAR for academies), 2024-25, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Per-pupil figures are calculated from total income/expenditure.

Contact Details

Address
Red Lonning, Whitehaven, Cumberland, CA28 8UG
Phone
01946692275
Executive Headteacher
Emma Jackson

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Frequently asked questions

What type of school is St Benedict's Catholic High School?
St Benedict's Catholic High School is a voluntary aided school in Whitehaven, Cumberland, England, for pupils aged 11–18.
How many pupils does St Benedict's Catholic High School have?
St Benedict's Catholic High School has 992 pupils on roll, according to Department for Education data.
How does St Benedict's Catholic High School perform at GCSE?
Pupils at St Benedict's Catholic High School achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 43.8 in 2025/26.
Where is St Benedict's Catholic High School?
St Benedict's Catholic High School is located at Red Lonning, Whitehaven, Cumberland, CA28 8UG.

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