Easington Academy
105%
Capacity
788
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Easington Academy
Easington Academy sits in the middle of the pack among County Durham’s 31 secondary schools, ranked 16th by Progress 8. That places it just ahead of the local authority average, which sits at -0.21, and puts it in the bottom half nationally. The top-performing schools nearby are Tanfield School, St Leonard’s Catholic School in Durham, and The Academy at Shotton Hall, the latter being the nearest school rated Outstanding, just 3.5 km away. Easington itself was judged Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2025, with inspectors noting that personal development is Outstanding. The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry it received 265 applications for 149 places, with 144 of those going to first-preference families. That level of demand suggests it holds a solid reputation locally, even if its academic rankings don’t put it among the elite.
On academic outcomes, Easington’s Progress 8 score of -0.12 is slightly below the national average of zero, but it beats the County Durham average of -0.21. The Attainment 8 score is 49.6, and 55.3% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, compared with 73% at grade 4 or above. The school’s EBacc average point score is 4.45, with 60.3% of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects, though only 29.1% achieved a grade 5 or above in that suite. Progress in English is close to the national average at -0.04, but maths progress is weaker at -0.56. The Progress 8 banding is rated Average, and the school’s overall effectiveness was not judged in the most recent inspection because it was a graded inspection following a period of no previous graded inspection. The previous inspection in 2011 also rated the school Good overall, with leadership and management also Good.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, and science labs, plus sports from rowing to gymnastics. Clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, coding, debate, and orchestra. SEND provisions cover eight areas including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. Parent View responses from 245 families between September 2024 and September 2025 were overwhelmingly positive: 98% would recommend the school, 96% agreed their child is happy, and 97% felt their child is safe. The school is oversubscribed at a ratio of 1.78 applicants per place, so families need to apply early. It suits parents who want a well-regarded local secondary with strong pastoral care and personal development, but who are realistic about academic outcomes being around the national average rather than exceptional.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Stockton Road, Peterlee, County Durham, SR8 3AY |
| Headteacher | Nicola Falconer |
| Local Authority | County Durham |
| Number of Pupils | 788 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 36.8% |
| School Capacity | 788 / 750 (105% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
13 May 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Source: Ofsted, 19 Jun 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.12)
1816th of 3,141
Nationally
59th of 142
In North East
16th of 31
In County Durham
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly 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
2022/2317%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 148 pupils).
- FE college60%
- School sixth form (stay)17%
- Apprenticeship11%
- Employment9%
- Not sustained3%
97% 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.
Ofsted Parent View
245 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
20Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed149
265
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
149 families put this school as their 1st choice (56% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British94.9%
- White (other)2.5%
- Mixed1.0%
- Asian0.4%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
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.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
4
Total schools
3
Oversubscribed
2
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 Easington Academy
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Stockton Road, Peterlee
County Durham, SR8 3AY
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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