St Bernard's School

Special academy · All-through, ages 2 to 19 · Mixed · Nursery class · Sixth form

Part of INSPIRE CONNECTED COMMUNITIES TRUST

Wood Lane, Louth, LN11 8RS

01507 603776 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 13 March 2013, before conversion; confirmed 2024
Pupils115Room for 110 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 73 in 2019, 76 in 2021, 82 in 2022, 95 in 2023, 101 in 2024, 111 in 2025, 115 in 2026. Across England, special state school pupil numbers were up 39% from 2019 to 2025.
Free school meals67%of pupils eligible now

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 13 March 2013. This inspection was of the school before it changed to its current form (for example, before becoming an academy).

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Outcomes for pupilsGood
Leadership and managementGood

Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 15 May 2024: Ofsted found the school was still Good.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

12 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 2 April 2024 and 7 April 2025.

StatementThis schoolEngland
My child is happy at this school 83% 89%
My child feels safe at this school 83% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 75% 84%
I would recommend this school to another parent 83%said yes 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families. Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

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Results

Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25

5 pupils in this year group.

Only 5 pupils took these tests, so results can change a lot from year to year. Compare with care.

MeasureThis schoolLincolnshireEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths Not published 59% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths Not published 6% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading Not published 71% 75%
Met the expected standard in writing Not published 71% 72%
Met the expected standard in maths Not published 71% 74%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. Not published 104 106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. Not published 104 105

"Not published": Not published: too few pupils, so individual pupils could be identified.

Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, over time

2022/232023/242024/25
Not published0%Not published

Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

After Year 11

Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.

8 pupils in this year group.

Only 8 pupils took these tests, so results can change a lot from year to year. Compare with care.

63% — 29 points below the Lincolnshire average, and 29 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolLincolnshireEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 63% 92% 92%
School sixth form 0% 40% 34%
Sixth form college 0% 4% 13%
Further education college 50% 41% 37%
Apprenticeship 0% 4% 3%
Work 0% 3% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
Not published63%

Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Lincolnshire. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

Admissions dates and schools in Lincolnshire

Pupils, staff and SEND

This is a special school for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Places are arranged through the council's SEND team, not the normal admissions round. It caters for: Specific learning difficulties (such as dyslexia); Visual impairment; Other difficulties or disabilities; Hearing impairment; Speech, language and communication needs; Autism; Multi-sensory impairment; Physical disability; Moderate learning difficulties; Severe learning difficulties; Profound and multiple learning difficulties.

PupilsThis schoolLincolnshireEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 59.5% 56.3%* 51.9%
With an education, health and care plan 100.0% 99.9%* 99.5%
Receiving special educational needs support 0.0% 0.1%* 0.5%
English as an additional language 0.9% 5.9%* 14.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed) 12.3% 11.5%* 12.8%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 44.4% 32.2%* 35.3%
Suspensions per 100 pupils 0.9 9.5 12.3
Pupils suspended at least once 0.9% 5.3% 5.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.04% 0.08%
Pupils per teacher 14.2 7.6 6.6
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 2.5 2.5 2.3
Teachers who left during the year 32.4% 17.9%* 14.3%*

Comparisons are with special schools. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).

Questions parents ask

What is St Bernard's School's Ofsted rating?

St Bernard's School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 13 March 2013. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 15 May 2024, Ofsted found the school was still Good.

Would parents recommend St Bernard's School?

83% of the 12 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 2 April 2024 and 7 April 2025 said they would recommend St Bernard's School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.