Bishop Auckland College
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Ofsted Rating
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Capacity
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Pupils
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About Bishop Auckland College
Bishop Auckland College received a Requires Improvement rating in its most recent Ofsted inspection, and the school’s academic outcomes present a challenging picture. The most telling metric is its Progress 8 score of -3.16, which measures how much progress pupils make between the end of primary school and their GCSEs compared with the national average. This is significantly below the County Durham local authority average of -0.21, and places the school 31st out of 35 similar schools in the area. Nationally, it ranks 3,139th out of 3,141 schools, putting it in the bottom percentile. The Attainment 8 score sits at just 6, and only 8.3% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs. No pupils entered the English Baccalaureate, and the EBacc average point score was 0.46. These figures suggest that the school serves a cohort with very low starting points, and that outcomes are a major concern for families considering it.
Breaking down the Progress 8 figures, the school’s weakest area is open subjects, with a score of -3.8, followed by English at -3.4 and the EBacc subjects at -3.19. Maths is slightly less negative at -2.17, but still well below the national average. The school is a mixed, state-funded secondary for students aged 14 to 99, with a non-religious character, and is led by headteacher Shaun Hope. It offers a sixth form centre, which may appeal to students who want to continue their education on site. The school’s ranking in the bottom 50 nationally, combined with the very low attainment and progress scores, means that most families will want to look closely at whether the school can meet their child’s academic needs, especially if they are aiming for strong GCSE results.
On the practical side, Bishop Auckland College has a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, gymnasium, sports hall, theatre, art studios, and science labs, which are unusual for a school with such low academic outcomes. Sports on offer include football, rowing, hockey, rugby, and martial arts, and there are clubs such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model UN, and Young Enterprise. The school has a chapel on site, though it has no religious character. There is no data on SEND provision or admissions oversubscription, so it is unclear how selective the school is or how well it supports students with additional needs. Given the academic data, this school is likely to suit families who prioritise extracurricular breadth over exam results, or who are looking for a setting that accepts students from age 14 upwards, perhaps as an alternative to a mainstream secondary from Year 7.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 14 to 99 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Woodhouse Lane, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 6JZ |
| Headteacher | Shaun Hope |
| Local Authority | County Durham |
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-3.16)
3139th of 3,141
Nationally
142nd of 142
In North East
31st of 31
In County Durham
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/232%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 55 pupils).
- Not sustained35%
- FE college33%
- Employment15%
- Apprenticeship4%
- School sixth form (stay)2%
- Sixth form college2%
62% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2319%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 118 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
2%
Russell Group
2%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- Employment38%
- Not sustained26%
- University (HE)19%
- Further education13%
- Apprenticeship3%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
12
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
7
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Bishop Auckland College
Contact Information
Woodhouse Lane, Bishop Auckland
County Durham, DL14 6JZ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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