St Benedict's Catholic School

St Benedict's Catholic School
Address
Beetons Way Bury St Edmunds , Suffolk , IP32 6RH England
Coordinates	52°15′30″N 0°42′07″E
Information
Type	Academy
Motto	Ora et Labora (Work and pray)
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic
Established	1967
Local authority	Suffolk County Council
Trust	Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Trust
Department for Education URN	149285 Tables
Ofsted	Reports
Headmistress	Imogen Senior
Head of Sixth Form	Jonathon Richmond
Chair of Governors	Luisa Martinez and Suzette De Coteau-Atuah
Chaplain	Matt Spiller
Staff	118
Gender	Coeducational
Age	11 to 18
Enrolment	c.980
Houses	Monte Casino, Nursia, Subiaco
Colour(s)	Green, Silver and Black
Website	http://www.st-benedicts.suffolk.sch.uk

St Benedict's Catholic School is a coeducational Roman Catholic secondary school and sixth form in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England.^[1] Opened in 1967, the school has around 980 students.^[2]

St Benedict's was a Mathematics and Computing Specialist School.^[3] Whilst the school is based in Bury St. Edmunds, many of its students travel from a wide area, including Haverhill, Thetford, Sudbury, Stowmarket, Newmarket and other surrounding villages and towns, because it is the only Catholic secondary school in the vicinity.

Previously a voluntary aided school administered by Suffolk County Council,^[4] in September 2022 St Benedict's Catholic School converted to academy status. The school is now sponsored by the Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Trust,^[5] and continues to be under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia.

Academic Achievement

GCSE

As of 2023, St Benedict's had a 79% standard pass rate (grades 4+ in english and maths) and a 55% strong pass rate (grades 5+ in english and maths). Many students go on to study A-Levels, and the school sees some of the top students in the country, having had students achieve 12 grade 9s for multiple years in a row, something that is on average accomplished by 120 students in the UK each year.

A-Level

In 2019, St Benedict's achieved a 100% pass rate (A-E), with 86% of students getting grades which were between A* - C and 20% of students achieved 3 or more grades between A-A*. The sixth form has been rated the best state sixth form in Suffolk for multiple years in a row as of 2023

Staff

Since 2019, Imogen Senior has been Headmistress at St Benedict's. From 2017 to 2019, Kate Pereira was Headmistress after taking over from Hugh O'Neill who retired after working at the school for 33 years. As of 2024, there is roughly 118 members of staff working at the school with 65 members of teaching staff.

Ofsted

In September 2014, a snap Ofsted inspection (which were introduced after Operation Trojan Horse), was held at the school.^[6] Following the inspection, the school's previous rating of good was downgraded to "needs improvement".^[7] Inspectors found St Benedict's to be in breach of rules surrounding guarding against extremism and radicalisation, and were failing to prepare students "for life and work in modern Britain".^[8] The report was withdrawn within hours,^[8] with Ofsted stating that "quality assurance checks" were required.^[7][8] In November 2014, the school was one of 11 highlighted by Ofsted as failing to promote British values.^[9]

The wording of the report was later revised, with references to extremism and radicalisation removed, but the needs improvement rating was maintained.^[10][11] The decision to downgrade the school was criticised both by the Head teacher of the school and the Catholic Education Service.^[9] An interim inspection then took place in January 2015, and Ofsted wrote to the school to confirm "the school has made progress in key areas since the inspection."^[10] Later that month the school was ranked second in the West Suffolk league table, with Head Teacher Hugh O'Neill stating, "The results vindicate the work we do here. I think you will find that there is a disparity between schools' Ofsted ratings and their position in the league table across the county."^[12]

The school was graded as Outstanding or Good in all areas in its most recent Ofsted inspection carried out in September 2016.^[13]

Curriculum

The school follows the National Curriculum and offers a range of subjects at GCSE and A-Level. As a Catholic school, Religious Education is taught from that standpoint and is compulsory at GCSE. Sixth form students who study 3 A Levels are obliged to take a course known as "General Religious Education", which involves no examinations or certificates yet is mandatory.

The school offers a sixth form for students over the age of 16, covering Year 12s and Year 13s.^[14]

Subjects Offered

GCSE

• English Language
• English Literature
• Mathematics
• Combined Science
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Biology
• Religious Education
• Art and Design: Fine Art
• Business Studies
• Computer Science
• Drama
• Food Nutrition
• French
• Spanish
• Geography
• History
• Music
• Physical Education
• Product Design
• Art and Design: Textiles

A-Level

• Art and Design
• Biology
• Business
• Chemistry
• Classical Civilization
• Computer Science
• Economics
• English Literature
• French
• Geography
• Government and Politics
• Health and Social Care
• History
• History of Art
• Mathematics
• Further Mathematics
• Medical Science
• Physics
• Physical Education
• Product Design
• Psychology
• Religious Studies
• Sociology
• Spanish

References

1. Suffolk County Council school profile. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
2. Direct Gov School profile. Retrieved 15 May 2009
3. Ofsted Profile. Retrieved 15 May 2009
4. "St Benedict's Catholic School - GOV.UK". get-information-schools.service.gov.uk.
5. "Our Schools - Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Trust".
6. "Bury St Edmunds: Why did Ofsted inspectors choose to spot check highly regarded St Benedict's Catholic School?". Emma Brennan. East Anglian Daily Times. 17 September 2014.
7. "Bury St Edmunds: Ofsted accused of being 'heavy handed' following judgement of St Benedict's School". Mariam Ghaemi. Ipswich Star. 5 October 2014.
8. "Catholic school breaches 'Trojan Horse' Ofsted rules". Richard Adams. The Guardian. 3 October 2014.
9. "Catholics demand apology after Ofsted makes 'unsubstantiated' extremism claim against school". Graeme Paton. The Telegraph. 15 December 2014.
10. "Inspector's visit puts St Benedict's Catholic School on track to 'reclaim' 'good' Ofsted rating". Matt Reason. East Anglian Daily Times. 13 February 2015.
11. "Ofsted backs away from 'British values' claims in Suffolk school row". Richard Adams. The Guardian. 14 November 2014.
12. "St Benedict's Catholic School 'vindicated' by high flying league table position after Ofsted rating downgrade". Matt Reason. East Anglian Daily Times. 29 January 2015.
13. "St Benedict's Catholic School". Ofsted. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
14. "St Benedict's Catholic School - Sixth Form Brochure 2011/2012" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 April 2014.

External links

• School website
• Ofsted reports