Academy converter · North Tyneside

John Spence Community High School

11–16Ages
872Pupils
SecondaryPhase
150195URN

Preston Road, North Shields, NE29 9PU · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jun 2023 Previous framework

Requires improvement

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.8per place

close to North Tyneside median (1.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in North Tyneside

301 applications for 166 places · 4th of 8 in North Tyneside

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

43.0of 90

North Tyneside 44.4 England 46.0

9th of 11 in North Tyneside

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Requires improvement · 6 June 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Good	Requires improvement
Quality of education		Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes	Good
Personal development	Good
Leadership and management		Requires improvement

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 entry

1.8applications per place, Year 7

close to North Tyneside median (1.8) 0.4 below England median (2.2)

301 applications · 166 places offered · 104 named it first

2026 1.8; North Tyneside median median 1.8
2025 1.7; North Tyneside median median 1.7
2024 2.3; North Tyneside median median 1.6
2023 2.0; North Tyneside median median 1.5; as the previous school
2022 2.2; North Tyneside median median 1.4; as the previous school
2021 1.9; North Tyneside median median 1.5; as the previous school
2020 2.1; North Tyneside median median 1.5; as the previous school
2019 1.9; North Tyneside median median 1.4; as the previous school
2018 1.7; North Tyneside median median 1.5; as the previous school
2017 1.8; North Tyneside median median 1.5; as the previous school
2016 1.7; North Tyneside median median 1.5; as the previous school
2015 1.6; North Tyneside median median 1.5; as the previous school
2014 1.5; North Tyneside median median 1.4; as the previous school

This school
North Tyneside median

Dashed bars: as John Spence Community High School (URN 108644), 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	166	301	1.8	104	0.63
Sep 2025	170	293	1.7	128	0.75
Sep 2024	121	272	2.3	101	0.83
Sep 2023 *	166	336	2.0	163	0.98
Sep 2022 *	175	377	2.2	199	1.14
Sep 2021 *	175	338	1.9	181	1.03
Sep 2020 *	175	362	2.1	182	1.04
Sep 2019 *	177	338	1.9	195	1.10
Sep 2018 *	179	297	1.7	177	0.99
Sep 2017 *	178	327	1.8	175	0.98
Sep 2016 *	174	289	1.7	163	0.94
Sep 2015 *	159	246	1.6	150	0.94
Sep 2014 *	174	264	1.5	175	1.01

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

165 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)43.09th of 11 in North Tyneside

North Tyneside 44.4 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths40%7th of 11 in North Tyneside

North Tyneside 46% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths58%

North Tyneside 64% England 66%

This school
North Tyneside median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.44

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	165	43.0	40%	58%	–
2024/25	154	41.0	29%	50%	–
2023/24 *	163	41.2	35%	57%	−0.44
2022/23 *	156	43.3	37%	66%	−0.38

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

John Spence Community High SchoolThis school
This school

Requires improvement2023

1.8applications per place 43.0Attainment 8
Marden High School
0.8 km · North Tyneside

2026

2.3applications per place 55.0Attainment 8
Monkseaton High School
1.3 km · North Tyneside

Graded · no overall grade2025

44.1Attainment 8
St Thomas More Catholic High School
1.7 km · North Tyneside

Good2023

1.6applications per place 48.8Attainment 8
Kings Priory School
1.7 km · North Tyneside

Remains Good2024

6.8applications per place 57.6Attainment 8
Marden Bridge Middle School
1.8 km · North Tyneside

Improved significantly2025
Monkseaton Coastal School
2.0 km · North Tyneside

2026
Norham High School
2.3 km · North Tyneside

Good2022

2.8applications per place 43.3Attainment 8
Valley Gardens Middle School
3.0 km · North Tyneside

Graded · no overall grade2024

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: 150195 · 392/4038
Trust: Pele Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 885 pupils · 872 on roll
Free school meals: 51.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: Resourced provision
Opened: 1 November 2023
Replaced: John Spence Community High School (URN 108644)
Address: Preston Road, North Shields, NE29 9PU
Local authority: North Tyneside

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources