Compare Furness Academy and St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow and Walney School

Q: How are these comparisons built?

We align public datasets side-by-side. Headline Ofsted judgement and publication date are shown when available. Exact pupil counts and precise FSM% are available to Pro users; free users see rounded values.

Q: What if a school has a recent ungraded visit?

Ungraded Section 8 visits do not replace the last graded judgement. We continue to show the latest graded judgement until a new graded inspection is published.

Q: Why can’t I see exact numbers?

To keep the service sustainable, exact pupil counts and precise FSM% are Pro features. Everyone can still compare approximate values.

Q: How should I choose a school?

Start with the most recent graded Ofsted judgement, then consider distance and travel, roll versus capacity, and the admissions policy. Visit the school, ask about pastoral support and enrichment, and ensure it fits your child’s needs.

Q: What should I look for when comparing schools?

Compare headline Ofsted and publication dates for recency; check FSM% and local context; review capacity utilisation (under, near, or over capacity); and look at trust or local authority governance. Read the official Ofsted report for curriculum and safeguarding details.

Comparison of secondary schools: Furness Academy (Secondary) in Barrow-in-Furness; St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow (Secondary) in Barrow-in-Furness; Walney School (Secondary) in Barrow-in-Furness — covering Ofsted outcomes, size, FSM%, governance, capacity & more.

At a glance

This page compares Furness Academy, St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow and Walney School. They are secondary phase and academy sponsor led and academy converter type located around Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. The strongest headline Ofsted judgement here is 2 (Furness Academy), published Jun 2023. The lowest is 3 (Walney School), published May 2022. The most recent inspection on record is for Furness Academy (Jun 2023). average roll around ≈ 800, combined total ≈ 2,400, typical FSM 25–30%, range 25–30%–25–30%; spread across trusts such as FURNESS EDUCATION TRUST, MATER CHRISTI MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST and THE FELLS MULTI ACADEMY TRUST.

🔒 Export (Pro)

Attribute	Furness Academy LA13 9BB	St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow LA13 9LE	Walney School LA14 3JT
Phase / Type	Secondary • Academy sponsor led	Secondary • Academy converter	Secondary • Academy sponsor led
Location	Barrow-in-Furness Cumbria LA13 9BB	Barrow-in-Furness Cumbria LA13 9LE	Barrow-in-Furness Cumbria LA14 3JT
Latest Ofsted	2 14 Jun 2023	2 14 Nov 2022	3 2 May 2022
Ofsted report	—	—	—
Pupils (roll)	≈ 1,200 🔒 Unlock exact pupils	≈ 650 🔒 Unlock exact pupils	≈ 500 🔒 Unlock exact pupils
FSM %	25–30% 🔒 Unlock exact FSM %	25–30% 🔒 Unlock exact FSM %	25–30% 🔒 Unlock exact FSM %
Capacity	1200	916	900
Capacity utilisation	Near capacity 🔒 View exact %	Under capacity 🔒 View exact %	Under capacity 🔒 View exact %
Age range	—	—	—
Gender	Mixed	Mixed	Mixed
Admissions policy	Non-selective	Non-selective	Non-selective
Trust / Local authority	FURNESS EDUCATION TRUST	MATER CHRISTI MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST	THE FELLS MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
Website	www.furnessacademy.co.uk	www.stbernardsschool.uk	www.walney-school.co.uk
Telephone	01229484270	01229814560	01229471528
SEN provision	None reported	None reported	None reported
Profile	View profile	View profile	View profile

Furness Academy

LA13 9BB

Phase / Type: Secondary • Academy sponsor led
Location: Barrow-in-Furness
Cumbria
LA13 9BB
Ofsted: 2 14 Jun 2023
Pupils: ≈ 1,200 🔒 Exact value
FSM %: 25–30% 🔒 Exact %
Trust / LA: FURNESS EDUCATION TRUST
Website: www.furnessacademy.co.uk
Telephone: 01229484270

St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow

LA13 9LE

Phase / Type: Secondary • Academy converter
Location: Barrow-in-Furness
Cumbria
LA13 9LE
Ofsted: 2 14 Nov 2022
Pupils: ≈ 650 🔒 Exact value
FSM %: 25–30% 🔒 Exact %
Trust / LA: MATER CHRISTI MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST
Website: www.stbernardsschool.uk
Telephone: 01229814560

Walney School

LA14 3JT

Phase / Type: Secondary • Academy sponsor led
Location: Barrow-in-Furness
Cumbria
LA14 3JT
Ofsted: 3 2 May 2022
Pupils: ≈ 500 🔒 Exact value
FSM %: 25–30% 🔒 Exact %
Trust / LA: THE FELLS MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
Website: www.walney-school.co.uk
Telephone: 01229471528

Map of compared schools

How are these comparisons built?

We line up public school data side-by-side. Ofsted “headline” judgement is shown with the publication date when available. Exact pupil counts and precise FSM% are available to Pro users; everyone sees rounded values.

What if a school has a recent ungraded visit?

Ungraded visits (Section 8) check whether the previous graded judgement still stands, but do not replace it. We keep the latest graded judgement as the headline until a new graded inspection is published.

Why can’t I see exact numbers?

To keep the service sustainable, we show approximate pupils and bucketed FSM% to free users. Upgrade to AllSchools Pro to unlock precise figures and exports.

How should I choose a school?

Start with the most recent graded Ofsted judgement, then check whether it aligns with your child’s needs. Look at distance and travel, typical class sizes (roll vs capacity), and the school’s admissions policy. Speak to the school, arrange a visit, and ask about pastoral support and enrichment.

What should I look for when comparing schools?

Compare headline Ofsted and publication dates for recency; check FSM% and local context; scan capacity utilisation (under, near, or over capacity); and review trust/local authority for governance. If available, read the official Ofsted report for curriculum and safeguarding detail.

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