Graded inspection · Mar 2024 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 | |||
| Sixth form provision | 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 entry368 applications · 154 places offered · 133 named it first
- 2026 2.4; County Durham median median 1.8
- 2025 2.1; County Durham median median 1.9
- 2024 2.0; County Durham median median 1.9
- 2023 1.9; County Durham median median 1.9
- 2022 2.2; County Durham median median 1.9
- 2021 2.0; County Durham median median 2.0
- 2020 1.9; County Durham median median 1.9
- 2019 2.4; County Durham median median 2.0; as the previous school
- 2018 2.0; County Durham median median 2.0; as the previous school
- 2017 2.3; County Durham median median 1.7; as the previous school
- 2016 1.7; County Durham median median 1.5; as the previous school
- 2015 1.5; County Durham median median 1.5; as the previous school
- 2014 1.6; County Durham median median 1.4; as the previous school
- This school
- County Durham median
Dashed bars: as The Hermitage Academy (URN 136683), The Hermitage School (URN 114290), 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 | 154 | 368 | 2.4 | 133 | 0.86 |
| Sep 2025 | 171 | 359 | 2.1 | 150 | 0.88 |
| Sep 2024 | 189 | 386 | 2.0 | 150 | 0.79 |
| Sep 2023 | 194 | 375 | 1.9 | 153 | 0.79 |
| Sep 2022 | 156 | 340 | 2.2 | 133 | 0.85 |
| Sep 2021 | 200 | 391 | 2.0 | 159 | 0.80 |
| Sep 2020 | 178 | 343 | 1.9 | 129 | 0.72 |
| Sep 2019 * | 207 | 491 | 2.4 | 181 | 0.87 |
| Sep 2018 * | 224 | 457 | 2.0 | 222 | 0.99 |
| Sep 2017 * | 195 | 447 | 2.3 | 244 | 1.25 |
| Sep 2016 * | 206 | 352 | 1.7 | 232 | 1.13 |
| Sep 2015 * | 209 | 308 | 1.5 | 217 | 1.04 |
| Sep 2014 * | 189 | 310 | 1.6 | 196 | 1.04 |
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.) | 173 | 50.1 | 50% | 72% | – |
| 2024/25 | 153 | 49.1 | 43% | 70% | – |
| 2023/24 | 183 | 48.0 | 49% | 70% | +0.12 |
| 2022/23 | 197 | 46.1 | 42% | 69% | −0.22 |
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
- Hermitage AcademyThis schoolThis schoolGood20242.4applications per place 50.1Attainment 8
- 1.5 km · County DurhamGraded · no overall grade20252.1applications per place 46.8Attainment 8
- 4.9 km · Gateshead20251.8applications per place 45.2Attainment 8
- 5.9 km · SunderlandGraded · no overall grade20241.7applications per place 42.7Attainment 8
- 6.0 km · County DurhamGraded · no overall grade20242.7applications per place 48.9Attainment 8
- 6.1 km · SunderlandRemains Good20232.2applications per place 44.8Attainment 8
- 6.5 km · Sunderland20261.9applications per place 48.2Attainment 8
- 6.7 km · County DurhamGood20221.6applications per place 39.9Attainment 8
- 7.5 km · County DurhamGraded · no overall grade20242.4applications per place 56.5Attainment 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
- 147531 · 840/4010
- Capacity
- 1,050 pupils · 881 on roll
- Free school meals
- 30.5% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Opened
- 1 September 2019
- Replaced
- The Hermitage Academy (URN 136683); The Hermitage School (URN 114290)
- Address
- Waldridge Lane, Chester le Street, DH2 3AD
- Local authority
- County Durham
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources