St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College

What St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College does

St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College is a Catholic state-funded secondary school and sixth form located in Peterlee, County Durham, England, and part of the Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, a Catholic multi-academy trust comprising 31 schools (25 primary, 5 secondary with 4 sixth forms) across East Durham, South Tyneside and Sunderland. The school delivers secondary education for pupils aged 11-16 (Years 7-11) leading to GCSE qualifications across 16 subject areas, and post-16 education through Byron Sixth Form College offering A Levels in 12 subjects and BTEC Level 3 qualifications in Business, Engineering, Health and Social Care, and Sport, alongside non-qualification programmes in Contemporary Studies, PSHE and Reading. The institution operates under a Catholic ethos with core values of faith, excellence and determination, and welcomes students of all faiths and none.

The school is led by Headteacher Mrs F. Cessford, with Mr A. McCourt as Chair of Governors, and is governed within the Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust. The core technology stack comprises conventional educational software including the SOAR whole-school literacy programme (Spelling, Oracy and Reading with Words of the Week, Frayer Model, Accelerated Reading and Reading Plus), the Ten:Ten Life to the Full RSE programme, and remote education infrastructure. Specialist product lines include the Elite Football Academy in partnership with Fast Feet Football Academy, a comprehensive CEIAG careers service, the STEP academic support programme, the Supra-Curricular programme with EPQ, and a full-time school chaplaincy and Catholic life provision. Reported outcomes include 96.83% A*-E at A-Level (2025), 42.11% Grade 5+ in English and Maths GCSE (2025), and 97% of pupils staying in education or entering employment (2025).

The business model is publicly funded education: there are no tuition fees, with revenue derived from per-pupil government funding via the ESFA and the Bishop Chadwick Trust, supplemented by Pupil Premium and the 16-19 Bursary Fund. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via the Durham County Council online admissions portal for Year 7 intake, and a direct school application process for Sixth Form entry, supported by open evenings, transition events, the school website, social media, email newsletters and printed prospectuses. Customer segments are Secondary School Students (11-16) and Sixth Form Students (16-18) as primary, with Parents and Families as secondary stakeholders. Key partnerships include Fast Feet Football Academy (Elite Football Academy), Newcastle University (Further Maths outreach), feeder primary schools in the Trust, local parishes and CAFOD (LiveSimply Award).

Name

St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College

Legal name

St. Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form

Website

https://st-bedes.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College is a publicly funded Catholic secondary school and sixth form in Peterlee, East Durham, delivering GCSE, A Level and BTEC programmes to students aged 11-18 under the Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

Keywords

• Secondary education
• Sixth form college
• Catholic schooling
• GCSE programmes
• A level courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Peterlee

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Education: The school operates as a publicly funded secondary school and sixth form college, receiving government funding through the Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust for student education. Additional funding includes Pupil Premium for eligible students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College is a Catholic secondary school and sixth form providing full-time education for students aged 11-18 in Peterlee, East Durham. The core offering comprises the Years 7-11 secondary curriculum leading to GCSEs (including EBacc Route 1 and Route 2 pathways) and the post-16 provision at Byron Sixth Form College delivering A Levels, BTEC Level 3 qualifications, and GCSE English resit, all delivered within a Catholic ethos-based framework.

Product overview

St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College is a Catholic secondary school and sixth form provider offering a comprehensive educational service spanning Years 7-13. The core offering comprises a broad curriculum of 16 subjects across Key Stages 3-4 (including GCSE preparation) and a dedicated sixth form (Byron Sixth Form College) providing A Level and BTEC Level 3 qualifications. Supporting the academic core are specialist programmes including an Elite Football Academy (in partnership with Fast Feet Football Academy), a comprehensive CEIAG careers service, STEP academic tutoring, the SOAR literacy programme, supra-curricular EPQ and mentoring, and an extensive extra-curricular offering with Faith Awards. Catholic life and chaplaincy provision underpins the whole with daily prayer, retreats, and charitable activities. The school is part of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• St Bede's Catholic School (Secondary Education, Years 7-11)

Quantifiable outcome

• 96.83% A*-E at A-Level (2025)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fast Feet Football AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFast Feet Football Academy runs the Elite Football Academy programme at St Bede's for both boys and girls with football talent. The programme uses a holistic approach to enhance technical skills and tactical understanding, aiming to give each player the best possible chance of fulfilling their potential. Fast Feet coaches provide professional standard coaching while the school guarantees good education. Players have reached elite pathway trials with clubs including Sunderland AFC, Newcastle United FC, and England Lionesses.
• Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education TrustcoreOthersThe school is part of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, a Catholic multi-academy trust serving the east area of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle. The trust comprises 31 schools including 25 primary and 5 secondary schools across East Durham, South Tyneside and Sunderland. The trust's mission is to enable each individual to fulfil their God-given potential through learning, respect and partnership.
• CAFODminorOthersCAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development) awarded the school the LiveSimply Award after a two-year programme. The award recognises Catholic communities who choose to live simply, live sustainably and live in solidarity with others, aligning with Pope Francis' call in Laudato Si' to protect the environment.
• Local ParishescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school maintains excellent links with local clergy who celebrate weekly Masses in the school chapel. The chaplaincy programme works closely with parish priests, and students participate in parish events and services including Harvest Appeals, Carol Singing, and Rosary celebrations.
• Feeder Primary SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school collaborates with primary schools in the trust on curriculum design, running dedicated workshops and co-designing KS2 curriculum for drawing and painting skills. Primary school students attend transition liturgies at the school chapel, and the school offers personalised tours of facilities for KS2 students.
• Newcastle UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNewcastle University delivers A level Further Maths to selected students (grade 8 GCSE required) as part of their outreach programme. This qualification is delivered outside the normal teaching day and is not part of the student's main programme of study.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cardinal Hume Catholic School: Catholic secondary school in Gateshead serving a similar North East urban catchment. Comparable on faith-led ethos, full secondary plus sixth form offering, and multi-academy trust governance, and competes for parental choice across the Tyne and Wear region.
• All Saints Catholic Academy: Catholic secondary school in Middlesbrough. Comparable on faith-led Catholic identity, KS3-KS5 curriculum, and North East regional market. Competes for post-16 recruitment from the same broader catchment area south of St Bede's.
• St Thomas More Catholic School: Catholic secondary school in Blaydon, Tyne and Wear. Comparable on faith-led identity, secondary and post-16 provision, and the same North East Catholic school market - geographically adjacent and competing for parental choice in the same region.
• Sacred Heart Catholic High School: Catholic secondary school in Newcastle upon Tyne. Comparable on faith-led ethos, secondary and post-16 provision, and multi-academy trust structure - competes in the same broader North East Catholic school market.
• St Robert of Newminster Catholic School: Catholic secondary school in Washington, Tyne and Wear, within the same broader North East Catholic school market. Directly comparable on faith-led ethos, secondary and sixth form provision, and regional catchment - and is geographically close to St Bede's, creating direct admissions overlap.
• St Aidan's Catholic Academy: Catholic secondary school in Sunderland, within commuting distance of Peterlee. Comparable on faith-led Catholic identity, comprehensive KS3-KS5 curriculum, and similar Trust-level governance - direct competitor for Sixth Form recruitment from the same East Durham / Wearside catchment.
• St Anthony's Girls' Catholic Academy: Catholic girls' secondary school in Sunderland. Comparable on faith-led ethos and North East market positioning. While single-sex, it competes for parental choice in the same broad catchment and shares the same Trust-aligned governance model.
• English Martyrs Catholic School: Catholic secondary school in Hartlepool, immediately adjacent to Peterlee. Comparable on faith-led ethos, curriculum structure (GCSE + A-Level/BTEC), and demographic catchment - the closest geographic peer and a direct competitor for parental admissions in East Durham / Teesside.
• St Wilfrid's RC College: Catholic secondary school in South Tyneside, also part of a Catholic multi-academy trust in the North East. Comparable on faith-led identity, comprehensive curriculum (GCSE and A-Level), and North East regional market - directly competing for parental choice within commuting distance of Peterlee.

Broad incumbents

• Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust: Parent multi-academy trust operating 31 schools across East Durham, South Tyneside and Sunderland. Directly comparable as a broader incumbent Catholic education provider in the same region - the 'We to Them' governance relationship documented in the company data makes it the primary structural peer and decision-maker for St Bede's.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/StBedesandByron

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College