Report card · inspected Mar 2026
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
Safeguarding standards met
This schoolOther secondary schools in County Durham
What did Ofsted find?
Ofsted data to 30 September 2026| Area | Exceptional | Strong standard | Expected standard | Needs attention | Urgent improvement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inclusion | Strong standard | ||||
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard | ||||
| Achievement | Expected standard | ||||
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard | ||||
| Personal development and wellbeing | Expected standard | ||||
| Early years | Does not apply to this school | ||||
| Post-16 provision | Expected standard | ||||
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard | ||||
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
- Does not apply
Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.
Inspection history
- 17 March 2026Report card · 1 Strong standard, 6 Expected standard
- 17 February 2022Ungraded inspection: School remains Good
Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades
About these grades
Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.
How hard is it to get a place?
DfE · Sept 2026 entry423 applications · 156 places offered · 152 named it first
- 2026 2.7; County Durham median median 1.8
- 2025 2.8; County Durham median median 1.9
- 2024 2.3; County Durham median median 1.9
- 2023 2.3; County Durham median median 1.9
- 2022 2.7; County Durham median median 1.9
- 2021 2.8; County Durham median median 2.0
- 2020 2.8; County Durham median median 1.9
- 2019 2.7; County Durham median median 2.0
- 2018 2.6; County Durham median median 2.0
- 2017 2.3; County Durham median median 1.7
- 2016 2.1; County Durham median median 1.5
- 2015 2.0; County Durham median median 1.5
- 2014 2.1; County Durham median median 1.4
- This school
- County Durham median
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council
How this is measured
Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.
| Entry | Places | Applications | Per place | First preferences | First-pref. ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 156 | 423 | 2.7 | 152 | 0.97 |
| Sep 2025 | 176 | 492 | 2.8 | 203 | 1.15 |
| Sep 2024 | 157 | 368 | 2.3 | 155 | 0.99 |
| Sep 2023 | 171 | 399 | 2.3 | 183 | 1.07 |
| Sep 2022 | 170 | 464 | 2.7 | 192 | 1.13 |
| Sep 2021 | 165 | 459 | 2.8 | 166 | 1.01 |
| Sep 2020 | 168 | 468 | 2.8 | 198 | 1.18 |
| Sep 2019 | 185 | 507 | 2.7 | 201 | 1.09 |
| Sep 2018 | 161 | 420 | 2.6 | 155 | 0.96 |
| Sep 2017 | 147 | 340 | 2.3 | 146 | 0.99 |
| Sep 2016 | 127 | 269 | 2.1 | 125 | 0.98 |
| Sep 2015 | 125 | 244 | 2.0 | 122 | 0.98 |
| Sep 2014 | 126 | 265 | 2.1 | 126 | 1.00 |
How did pupils do at GCSE?
DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisionalEvery year as a table
| Year | Pupils | Attainment 8 | 5+ Eng & maths | 4+ Eng & maths | Progress 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (prov.) | 135 | 43.1 | 30% | 55% | – |
| 2024/25 | 143 | 43.9 | 29% | 59% | – |
| 2023/24 | 149 | 41.6 | 29% | 54% | −0.21 |
| 2022/23 | 153 | 45.4 | 32% | 58% | −0.16 |
Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.
Schools nearby
The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority
- King James I Academy Bishop AucklandThis schoolThis school20262.7applications per place 43.1Attainment 8
- 1.6 km · County DurhamGood20242.9applications per place 39.0Attainment 8
- 1.8 km · County DurhamRemains Good20242.0applications per place 43.8Attainment 8
- 5.3 km · County DurhamGood20221.5applications per place 51.3Attainment 8
- 5.3 km · County DurhamGood20231.8applications per place 42.0Attainment 8
- 6.4 km · County DurhamRequires improvement20193.2applications per place 37.7Attainment 8
- 6.6 km · County DurhamRemains Good20221.6applications per place 39.7Attainment 8
- 7.9 km · County DurhamRemains Good20231.5applications per place 50.5Attainment 8
- 9.3 km · County DurhamGood202433.4Attainment 8
School details
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Secondary
- URN · DfE number
- 136770 · 840/4178
- Trust
- Eden Learning Trust
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Capacity
- 956 pupils · 936 on roll
- Free school meals
- 50.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Opened
- 1 June 2011
- Replaced
- King James I Community Arts College (URN 114306)
- Address
- South Church Road, Bishop Auckland, DL14 7JZ
- Local authority
- County Durham
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources