St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School

Welcomefrom
Edward Walker
Headteacher

At St Bernadette’s we pride ourselves on being a vibrant faith community and an ambitious learning community, where everyone is valued and has a part to play. Strong, caring relationships, high expectations and making the most of every opportunity are key features of our school.

We are committed to every child achieving their potential and becoming a confident life-long learner. Our students achieve well. In our school students also grow and develop through the love and teachings of Christ, becoming responsible citizens able to make a positive contribution in society.

Our vision therefore is to provide a successful community of faith and learning that is based on Gospel Values, places the child at the centre and prepares all children to achieve academic and personal excellence.

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Faith life

At St Bernadette we are proud to be a community of Faith & Learning. As a Catholic school we acknowledge how important it is for our pupils to recognise God's loving presence in their daily lives. Our faith is at the centre of all our work at St Bernadette; everyday starts with prayers during staff briefing, assemblies and registration for pupils led by the form tutors and pupils. We cherish our Catholic belief and identity and at the same time seek to ensure that all pupils have an understanding of the diverse religious cultures in Britain today.

We are a caring community; we provide strong pastoral support and our lay chaplain is a presence with whom pupils and staff can talk. At St Bernadette we take Jesus' call to love our neighbours seriously and we regard works of charity as an essential part of Catholic education. In response to this we support local, national and international charities.

OurCurriculum

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  Maths

  Maths

  During the Maths GCSE curriculum, we continue to develop the problem solving skills which pupils will have encountered throughout Key Stage 3.

  In addition to continuing to foster links between maths and real life situations; we also emphasise and highlight careers in which the skills learnt in maths would be central. 

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  English

  English

  English is both a knowledge and skills-based subject. This means that pupils continue to improve their skills in production of written and spoken English, their ability to receive what they read or hear and their ability to write with technical accuracy.

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  Science

  Science

  The overarching aim in the pursuit of scientific competency is to prepare students to be active citizens in the wider world in terms of critical engagement with their environment.

  Our intent is for all students to develop a curiosity and a scientific understanding of the world around them and the ability to think critically about information presented to them.

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  Religious Education

  Religious Education

  The aim of the teaching in Religious Education is to encourage all of our pupils to think about different beliefs in God, challenging questions such as the meaning and purpose of life, and to consider issues of right and wrong.

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  History

  History

  In Edexcel GCSE History you will study Weimar and Nazi Germany, Crime and Punishment in Britain, American West and Elizabethan England.

  If you are interested in how the Modern World has been formed and influenced by past events, if you have an inquisitive mind and can connect ideas together, then you will enjoy this course. This course involves looking at a wide variety of sources from photos, videos and written documents and using them to build up a picture of the past.

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  Geography

  Geography

  We want our students to have a strong sense of time and place, to feel they belong to wider world community, to understand how their local actions can have global consequences. We want them to feel empowered to make positive choices in their lives to help protect and enhance God’s creation, in relation to both nature and culture. We want them to be able to make changes within their communities by understanding the mechanisms of democracy, to become positive citizens with viewpoints that are empathic, tolerant and reflective. We want the students to be able to learn from past mistakes and consider independently a positive future for themselves and the global community. 

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  Modern Foreign Languages

  Modern Foreign Languages

  The Key Stage Four Languages curriculum has been planned to ensure that students are well prepared to meet the demands of the GCSE examination and to continue to study languages later in life if they wish to do so.

  There are opportunities to experience the culture of the country first hand through visits abroad, visiting theatre groups, visits to the local sixth form for cultural enrichment days or to local restaurants.

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  Computing

  Computing

  OCR Computer Science equips students with the required practical and theoretical knowledge that would underpin a career in computer science. The skills of logical thinking, decomposition and algorithmic thinking are applicable to everyday life and will enable students to fulfil their wider personal life journeys. The course covers a wide range of computer science knowledge from the ethics of computers to the understanding of how data is transferred around a network.

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  Information & Computer Technology

  Creative iMedia

  Creative iMedia embeds an expectation of excellence across students’ learning by inspiring students in the development of vocational creative media skills, and providing learners with essential knowledge and transferable skills and tools to improve their learning in other subjects.

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  Business

  Business

  The OCR Cambridge National in Enterprise and Marketing equips students with the knowledge and skills to be successful in either further study or work. The range of taught content is applicable to real business and provides a knowledge base for students to continue in to A-Level, undertake apprenticeships or even start their own business.  

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  Physical Eduaction

  Sports Studies

  Sport is a key theme in education. The need for people to lead healthy and active rather than sedentary lifestyles is increasingly prominent, and this is reflected in the schools curriculum, where physical education and sport remains core. This qualifications seek to build upon this provision.

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  Health & Social Care

  Health & Social Care

  Health and Social Care provides students with the opportunity to acquire key knowledge whilst applying their learning to work related contexts, and to gain the skills they need for further study and employment.

  This is achieved through a course structure that allows students to build on and embed their knowledge and to grow in confidence when putting their learning into practice.  

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  Catering

  Hospitality & Catering

  The Vocational Award in Hospitality and Catering has been designed to support pupils in schools who want to learn about this vocational sector and the potential it can offer them for their careers or further study.

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  Art

  Art

  In Art, we acknowledge and celebrate our distinctive place in the curriculum, providing pupils with a creative outlet to express themselves. We are proud to be a practical subject and emphasise the development and mastery of practical skills in our lessons and curriculum. 

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  Product Design

  Product Design

  Design and Technology looks to enable a new generation of pupils that can use creativity and imagination to problem solve for a more sustainable future. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world.

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  Textiles

  Textiles

  Design and Technology looks to enable a new generation of pupils that can use creativity and imagination to problem solve for a more sustainable future. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world.

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  Music

  Music

  The BTEC Level 2 Music Award has been chosen for the students at St Bernadette Secondary School as it equips them with the knowledge and skills to be successful in either further study or work. The range of taught content is applicable to the Music Industry and provides a knowledge base for students to continue on to A-Level, undertake apprenticeships or a Level 3 qualification. 

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  Drama

  Drama

  Drama at St Bernadette's is a creative and ambitious choice for students. The emphasis is on practical work, especially building confidence in performance. We are also preparing students to complete the AQA GCSE in Drama.

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Our Facebook

Careers Support for Year 11 – Every Friday
Every Friday, we are pleased to welcome our Careers Adviser, Donna, into school to meet with our Year 11 students.
Donna supports students on their journey into their post-16 options, including:
✔️ Exploring colleges and training pathways
✔️ Completing applications
✔️ Making informed decisions about their next steps
She is also happy to support parents, carers and families with any questions they may have around post-16 choices and progression.
By providing access to one-to-one, independent and impartial careers guidance from a qualified Level 6 Careers Adviser, we support schools in fully meeting Gatsby Benchmark 8. This ensures students have the most up-to-date information and guidance to confidently plan their post-16 pathway.
If you have any questions or would like support, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. 1 Likes

St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School

Posted: 20 hours ago

Photos from St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School's post Year 9 Enrichment Day at UWE – Opening Doors to University Life
A great day visiting UWE! We were based in the Business and Law building, taking part in activities that gave students a real insight into university life. Many were surprised to learn that UWE has around 39,000 students — a big change from St Bernadette’s!
We enjoyed a campus tour, exploring facilities such as the Centre for Sport, library, labs and student accommodation, and even bumped into some former St Bernadette’s pupils. Lunch was in the main student canteen (with some keen interest in the on-site Subway and Greggs too!).
The day finished with a Q&A session with student ambassadors, giving an honest view of student life. Experiences like this are inspiring for our students as they help raise aspirations, build confidence, and encourage them to see university as an achievable and exciting future pathway. As an unexpected bonus, students also spotted the police escort for Prince William’s visit to campus — a memorable end to the day!
51 m 2 Likes

St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School

Posted: 20 hours ago

Our Year 8 students have an opportunity to have their HPV vaccine on Wednesday, 26th January.
If you haven't completed the consent online form yet, you can go ahead and do so here.

St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School

Posted: 22 hours ago

Photos from St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School's post Year 11 Mock Interviews
Our Year 11s have a fantastic opportunity today to take part in mock interviews with local employers. This gives them a chance to practice interview skills, build confidence, and receive valuable feedback to help prepare for life after school.
A huge thank you to MCS, Bray & Slaughter, The Hill Group, Beard Construction, Robin Foundation, St Brendan’s, Bristol Works, and members of the local Rotary Club—without your support, this opportunity wouldn’t be possible.
Experiences like this give our students a real taste of the workplace and help them take important steps toward their future careers 5 Likes

St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School

Posted: 23 hours ago

Photos from St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School's post Basketball success!
Team St Berns Year 9+10's travelled to Bristol Metropolitan to take part in the Bristol schools' competitive Basketball tournament. It was great to see such a competitive and fun environment with the girls working well as a team and displaying some great Basketball skills. Well done to all involved! St. Bern's A team came away winning the tournament overall! Not losing a game and winning against a very tough Bristol Met team, who are National Champions.
Outstanding performances from Kim and Anayah in Year 8. 16 Likes

St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School

Posted: 2 days ago

Enrichment Day – Tomorrow (22/1/26)
Tomorrow we are holding an Enrichment Day, giving students the opportunity to broaden their learning beyond the normal timetable, link lessons to real-life experiences, and build confidence, independence, and motivation.
🔹 Year 7 – Maths & Humanities
🔹 Year 8 – Science, Art & Technology
🔹 Year 9 – UWE Trip
🔹 Year 10 – English & PE
🔹 Year 11 – Mr Beezy -motivational speaker Mr Beezy Public Speaker 4 Likes

St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School

Posted: 2 days ago

Today marked a truly emotional milestone for our Year 11 students as they came together for their final school photographs. There were smiles, laughter and a few tears as they reflected on their journey through St Bernadette’s — a journey filled with friendships, challenges, achievements and memories that will last a lifetime. Standing together in uniform for the last time was a powerful reminder of how far they have come since their first days at secondary school. As the camera captured this moment, it also captured the pride, resilience and spirit of a year group now ready to take their next steps beyond St Bernadette’s. We are incredibly proud of each and every one of them and wish them every success for the future. @htempest 13 Likes

St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School

Posted: 3 days ago

Pupil-Led Prayer
Our Year 7 pupils have been busy learning how to lead prayer in their classrooms. As part of their faith journey at secondary school, they are discovering that prayer is something we do together, not just something we listen to.
By taking turns to lead prayer, pupils are growing in confidence, learning to use Scripture, silence and music, and helping to create a calm and reflective atmosphere for their classmates. This experience encourages responsibility, respect and a deeper understanding of prayer as part of everyday school life.
We are proud of the way our Year 7s are embracing this opportunity, supporting one another and growing in faith as they learn to lead others in prayer.

St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School

Posted: 3 days ago

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House Points

• Charity7093
  
• Faith7682
  
• Hope6854
  
• Peace7173
  
• Verity7099