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School profile Verified 18 August 2026

Manchester Private schools

St Bede's College

Alexandra Road South, Whalley Range, M16 8HX

St Bede's College is a private secondary-stage school in Manchester, Manchester, with a published age range of 3-19.

Private school Co-ed Ages 3-19 Sixth form No boarders
Application ?
Apply direct to school
Age range
3-19
ISI ?
Standards met
Boarding ?
No boarders
Compare Official website Map

On this page

At a glance

Key facts

Sector
Private school
Gender
Mixed
Application ?
Apply direct to school
Age range
3-19
Boarding ?
No boarders
Route check
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
ISI ?
Standards met

Overview

A Catholic foundation from 1876 still shapes the rhythm of St Bede's College. Cardinal Vaughan founded the College and it moved to its present Whalley Range site in 1877, where the Academic Hall and Chapel remain visible parts of its history. Nursery to Upper Sixth provision sits within a Christian community welcoming pupils of every faith and background, with being inspired, committed and grateful as named virtues.

Years 7 and 8 follow a balanced programme before GCSE choices in Year 9. English, mathematics, religion and science are compulsory; options include Classical Civilisation, Latin, computer science, languages, music, drama, dance, photography and separate sciences. Sixth Form study centres on A Levels, with the EPQ, Core Maths, Sustainability and the Bedian Research Programme available within the wider offer.

Sport, ski trips, musical theatre, orchestras, chamber groups, choirs, dance and academic clubs such as Historians' Club give the College a busy co-curricular life. Pastoral work includes Virtue of the Month, PSMEE lessons on wellbeing and resilience, pupil voice meetings, peer mentoring and senior leadership. Catholic ethos is expressed through relationships, service and responsibility as well as formal study.

Applications cover Nursery, Prep, College and Sixth Form, with entry throughout the year subject to places. Age-appropriate assessments, references and taster days form part of the route, while Sixth Form applicants meet subject-specific requirements. Scholarships cover academic work, sport, music and the arts, and means-tested bursaries are available.

Key points
Assessment route
Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
Places and demand
Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
Catchment
Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
Results
0% grade 5+ in English and maths and 30.3 Attainment 8
Sixth form
Sixth form available with 37.1% AAB or better.

GCSE benchmark

Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Manchester and England.

School Local authority England
GCSE benchmark comparison Latest GCSE benchmark measures for St Bede's College, Manchester, and England. 0 50 100 Att. 8 5+ E&M EBacc APS EBacc %
Attainment 8
30.3
Grade 5+ English and maths
0%
EBacc APS
2.47
EBacc entry
0%

Attainment 8 trend

Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Manchester and England.

School Local authority England
Attainment 8 trend line Attainment 8 over time for St Bede's College, Manchester, and England. 60 46.7 33.3 20 21/22 22/23 23/24 24/25

School details
Sector
Private school
School type
Other independent school
Funding
Independent fee-paying
Application
Apply direct to school
Gender
Mixed
Age range
3-19
Headmaster
Mrs Maria Kemp
Pupil roll
681 pupils
Sixth form
Yes

Location and contact

Address

Address
Alexandra Road South, Whalley Range, Manchester
Postcode
M16 8HX
Area
Manchester

School leadership

Headmaster
Mrs Maria Kemp

School contact

School phone
01612263323

Admissions contact

Admissions team
Admissions
Admissions email
admissions@sbcm.co.uk
Admissions phone
01612263323
Open in Map Open school website

Admissions
Application route
Apply direct to school
Age range
3-19
Gender
Mixed
Boarding
No boarders
Day fees
Check school fees page
Scholarships and bursaries
Check school site
Entrance details
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
Admissions note
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.

GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.

Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.

Oversubscription and eligibility

Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.

Exam and test format

Entrance route and assessment

Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.

Assessment route
Apply direct to school

Application

How to apply

  1. 1

    Apply direct to the school

    Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.

    Check school admissions

Results

Attainment snapshot

Attainment 8 ?
30.3 Attainment 8
GCSE results
0% grade 4+ in English and maths
Grade 5+ English and maths ?
0% grade 5+ in English and maths
EBacc average point score ?
2.47 EBacc APS
A-level results
37.1% AAB or better
A-level average points
40.54 A-level points per entry

Inspection
View report
Standards met

Latest inspection: 26 September 2023

Leadership, management and governance
Standards met
Quality of education, training and recreation
Standards met
Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
Standards met
Social and economic education and contribution to society
Standards met
Safeguarding
Standards met

Quick summary

  • Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2023 records an inspection beginning 26 September 2023. The report says the relevant standards were met.

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Shortlist comparisons

Compare St Bede's College with Sol Christian Academy Compare St Bede's College with Chetham's School of Music Compare St Bede's College with King of Kings

Explore this school in context

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Related pages and guides

Guides and related reading

Related guides are still being added.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How does St Bede's College handle admissions?

St Bede's College handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.

How do I apply to St Bede's College?

1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.

When are the key dates for St Bede's College?

Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.

What does the latest inspection picture look like for St Bede's College?

St Bede's College is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 26 September 2023.