St Benedict's Catholic High School
Secondary · Voluntary aided school · Ages 11–18 · Whitehaven, Cumberland
St Benedict's Catholic High School is a secondary school in Whitehaven, Cumberland for ages 11–18 (voluntary aided school). Its latest Ofsted outcome is Standards maintained, from the inspection on 4 June 2025.
Key facts
- Address
- Red Lonning, Hensingham, Whitehaven, CA28 8UG
- Type
- Voluntary aided school
- Phase
- Secondary
- Ages
- 11–18
- Sector
- See recorded establishment type
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Council
- Cumberland
- Pupils on roll
- 990 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 29.3% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 15.6
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
Standards maintained Inspected 4 June 2025
Strengths
- “Polite and happy pupils are well cared for by staff at this school.”
- “Pupils display positive attitudes to their learning.”
- “They are attentive, engaged and keen to participate in lessons.”
To improve
- “This is particularly the case in key stage 3.”
- “The published outcomes of national examinations taken in 2024 do not reflect these substantial improvements to the quality of education that pupils now receive.”
- “Pupils who left the school in 2024 did not benefit from these improvements early enough.”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 3 July 2025 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| GCSE English and maths, grade 5 or above (2024/25) | 33% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 score (2024/25) | 41.2 | 46 |
| A level average grade (2024/25) | C | B- |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Year 7 entry: 187 first-preference applications, 191 offers in total, 185 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
More with a 3-month pass
A one-off £9.99 pass, no subscription, unlocks for 3 months:
- Earlier years of applications and offers
- Earlier years of exam results
- Where pupils go after they leave
- Crime, sold prices, broadband and transport around the school
A last distance offered describes one past year and is not a catchment or a promise of a place. Check with the council before you apply.
Nearby secondary schools
Straight-line distance, in Cumberland.
- The Whitehaven Academy 0.3 mi Good
- West Lakes Academy 4.3 mi Not judged
- Energy Coast UTC 5.3 mi Good
- St Josephs Catholic High School, Workington 6.7 mi Requires improvement
- Workington Academy 6.9 mi Good
- Cockermouth School 12.0 mi School remains Good
- Netherhall School 12.4 mi Not judged
- Keswick School 17.2 mi Outstanding