Walney AcademySt Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Barrow-in-Furness.
Summary of the comparison
Walney Academy and St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow are secondary schools in Barrow-in-Furness.
Walney Academy scores 33 out of 100 (grade F, weak) and St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow scores 47 out of 100 (grade D, below average). St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow is ahead on our composite score.
Walney Academy was judged in need of attention and St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow was judged Good.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 40.5 for Walney Academy and 38.5 for St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow.
GCSE Attainment 8 has risen at Walney Academy (37.2 in 2021-22, 40.5 in 2025-26) and has fallen at St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow (43.3 in 2021-22, 38.5 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | Barrow-in-FurnessWalney Academy | Barrow-in-FurnessSt Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | F33/100 | D47/100Stronger figure | |
| Local ranking | 20th of 20 in Westmorland and Furness | 18th of 20 in Westmorland and Furness Stronger figure | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Requires improvement | Ofsted: GoodStronger figure | |
| School type | Academy sponsor led | Academy converter | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-16 | 11-16 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 468 | 624 | |
| Capacity | 900 | 916 | |
| Location | Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 3JT | Barrow-in-Furness, LA13 9LE | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 40.5 Stronger figure | 38.5 | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 27.3% | 32.8% Stronger figure | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 52.7% | 54.3% Stronger figure | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 110 | 116 | |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 518 | 674 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 25.9% | 29.1% | |
| English as an additional language | 2.7% | 9.5% | |
| SEN support | 19.9% | 17.7% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 7.3% | 5.8% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 9.3% Stronger figure | 9.8% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 26.4% Stronger figure | 27.4% | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
GCSE Progress 8
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
Walney Academy
St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow
Full profiles: Walney Academy · St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow