St Peter's Catholic Comprehensive School is an all-through mainstream school in Bournemouth, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, for children and young people aged 4 to 18. In January 2026, 300 of its 1,967 pupils (15.3%) were getting SEN support and 86 (4.4%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 4–18
- 1,967 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
15.3% get SEN support
300 of 1,967 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
4.4% have an EHC plan
86 of 1,967 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Higher than the England average.
Most common needs
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia116
- Social, emotional and mental health101
- Speech, language and communication72
- Autism42
- Moderate learning difficulty16
- Visual impairment7
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream all-through school
- Run as
- Academy
- Ages
- 4 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,967 (places for 1,650)
- Headteacher
- Mr Benedict Doyle
- Part of
- St Peter's Catholic Voluntary Academy Trust
- Faith
- Roman Catholic
- Free school meals
- 14.2% of pupils eligible
- School reference (URN)
- 137349
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Good, September 2023
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in September 2023.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Early yearsGood
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
St Catherine's Road, Bournemouth, BH6 4AH
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Futures Autism Unlimited Independent · Ages 18–25 0.9 miles
- Connie Rothman School Independent · Ages 11–21 1.1 miles
- Somerford Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 2.0 miles
- The Bishop of Winchester Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 3.0 miles
Other mainstream schools
- St Katharine's Church of England Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 12.2%, EHC plans 4.6% 0.6 miles
- Twynham School Secondary · Ages 11–19 · SEN support 16.4%, EHC plans 3.9% 0.8 miles
- The Priory Church of England Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 9.1%, EHC plans 6.6% 0.9 miles
All mainstream schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole SEND schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Questions about St Peter's Catholic Comprehensive School
How many pupils at St Peter's Catholic Comprehensive School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 300 of the 1,967 pupils (15.3%) were getting SEN support and 86 (4.4%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at St Peter's Catholic Comprehensive School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (116 pupils), social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (101 pupils) and speech, language and communication needs (72 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at St Peter's Catholic Comprehensive School?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at St Peter's Catholic Comprehensive School?
Through Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to St Peter's Catholic Comprehensive School?
You can ask for St Peter's Catholic Comprehensive School to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does St Peter's Catholic Comprehensive School have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Somerford Primary School, about 2.0 miles away.
Where is St Peter's Catholic Comprehensive School?
St Catherine's Road, Bournemouth, BH6 4AH, in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.