Graded inspection · Nov 2023 Previous framework
- Quality of education
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Personal development
- Leadership and management
This schoolOther secondary schools in County Durham
What did Ofsted find?
Ofsted data to 30 September 2026| Area | Outstanding | Good | Requires improvement | Inadequate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good | |||
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good | |||
| Personal development | Good | |||
| Leadership and management | 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 entry180 applications · 104 places offered · 101 named it first
- 2026 1.7; County Durham median median 1.8
- 2025 1.8; County Durham median median 1.9
- 2024 1.6; County Durham median median 1.9
- 2023 1.6; County Durham median median 1.9
- 2022 1.0; County Durham median median 1.9
- 2021 2.0; County Durham median median 2.0
- 2020 2.0; County Durham median median 1.9
- 2019 1.8; County Durham median median 2.0; as the previous school
- 2018 2.1; County Durham median median 2.0; as the previous school
- 2017 1.4; County Durham median median 1.7; as the previous school
- 2016 1.4; County Durham median median 1.5; as the previous school
- 2015 1.4; County Durham median median 1.5; as the previous school
- 2014 1.4; County Durham median median 1.4; as the previous school
- This school
- County Durham median
Dashed bars: as Dene Community School (URN 114313), the previous school.
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 | 104 | 180 | 1.7 | 101 | 0.97 |
| Sep 2025 | 113 | 202 | 1.8 | 113 | 1.00 |
| Sep 2024 | 116 | 183 | 1.6 | 106 | 0.91 |
| Sep 2023 | 111 | 173 | 1.6 | 108 | 0.97 |
| Sep 2022 | 199 | 202 | 1.0 | 103 | 0.52 |
| Sep 2021 | 86 | 172 | 2.0 | 84 | 0.98 |
| Sep 2020 | 80 | 158 | 2.0 | 74 | 0.93 |
| Sep 2019 * | 110 | 201 | 1.8 | 108 | 0.98 |
| Sep 2018 * | 82 | 171 | 2.1 | 78 | 0.95 |
| Sep 2017 * | 115 | 165 | 1.4 | 111 | 0.97 |
| Sep 2016 * | 108 | 151 | 1.4 | 104 | 0.96 |
| Sep 2015 * | 99 | 135 | 1.4 | 94 | 0.95 |
| Sep 2014 * | 96 | 138 | 1.4 | 96 | 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.) | 104 | 41.2 | 33% | 52% | – |
| 2024/25 | 96 | 41.4 | 33% | 52% | – |
| 2023/24 | 130 | 40.2 | 29% | 56% | +0.33 |
| 2022/23 | 124 | 39.8 | 25% | 43% | −0.29 |
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
- Dene AcademyThis schoolThis schoolGood20231.7applications per place 41.2Attainment 8
- 1.9 km · County DurhamRemains Good20232.5applications per place 42.1Attainment 8
- 2.4 km · County DurhamOutstanding20241.9applications per place 55.0Attainment 8
- 3.5 km · County DurhamGraded · no overall grade20251.8applications per place 51.0Attainment 8
- 4.8 km · County Durham20261.6applications per place 47.3Attainment 8
- 7.7 km · HartlepoolRequires improvement20241.7applications per place 36.1Attainment 8
- 9.0 km · HartlepoolGraded · no overall grade20252.8applications per place 39.5Attainment 8
- 9.5 km · Hartlepool20262.1applications per place 46.3Attainment 8
- 9.6 km · County DurhamGood20231.3applications per place 47.8Attainment 8
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
- Does not apply
Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.
School details
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Secondary
- URN · DfE number
- 147122 · 840/4214
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Capacity
- 818 pupils · 638 on roll
- Free school meals
- 62.5% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Opened
- 1 September 2019
- Replaced
- Dene Community School (URN 114313)
- Address
- Manor Way, Peterlee, SR8 5RL
- Local authority
- County Durham
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources