Hornsea School and Language College
87%
Capacity
1,257
Pupils
1.1x
Demand
About Hornsea School and Language College
Hornsea School and Language College holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across its two most recent inspections, the most recent of which was an ungraded visit in 2021 that confirmed the school remains Good. The single most informative exam metric for this 11-18 mixed state secondary is its Progress 8 score of -0.34, which places it in the 'Below average' band nationally. This means that, on average, pupils at Hornsea achieve about a third of a grade less per subject across eight key GCSEs than pupils with similar starting points nationally. Within the East Riding of Yorkshire, the school ranks 13th out of 18 secondary schools on this measure, putting it in the bottom half of the local authority. Its Attainment 8 score of 43.7 translates to an average grade of just under a strong pass (grade 5) per subject, while 40.1% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in both English and maths.
At A-level, the school's sixth form performs more in line with expectations. The value-added score is -0.07, with a progress banding of 'Average', indicating that students make broadly typical progress from their GCSE starting points. The average points per entry is 31.82, equivalent to a grade of C+, and 17.9% of entries achieved grades of AAB or higher. The school's EBacc entry rate of 38.2% is reasonable, though the percentage of pupils achieving the EBacc at a grade 5 or above in English and maths is just 14.5%. For context, the local authority average Progress 8 score is -0.13, so Hornsea's score of -0.34 sits below this benchmark. The school's Progress 8 score in English is -0.41, while in maths it is -0.29, suggesting slightly weaker performance in English relative to other schools.
The school is oversubscribed for Year 7 entry in 2025/26, receiving 229 applications for 202 places, with 201 of those offers going to first-preference families. Facilities are strong for a state school and include a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, and a dedicated sixth form centre. The school supports a wide range of special educational needs, including provisions for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. With 23.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with above-average disadvantage. Extracurricular offerings include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, coding club, and a range of sports from martial arts to hockey. This is a school that suits families who value a broad facilities base and a full secondary age range, but who should be aware that its GCSE outcomes are below the local average.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Eastgate, Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, HU18 1DW |
| Headteacher | Stephen Ostler |
| Local Authority | East Riding of Yorkshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,257 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 23.9% |
| School Capacity | 1,257 / 1,449 (87% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
4 Nov 2021Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (4 Nov 2021): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 5 Nov 2010. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.34)
2332nd of 3,141
Nationally
213th of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
13th of 18
In East Riding of Yorkshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
37.0
'22/23
29.1
'23/24
31.8
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2340%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 162 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)40%
- FE college35%
- Sixth form college9%
- Not sustained7%
- Employment5%
- Apprenticeship4%
93% 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
2022/2352%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 84 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
7%
Russell Group
9%
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.
- University (HE)52%
- Employment31%
- Not sustained7%
- Apprenticeship6%
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.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Mathematics17
- Chemistry14
- English Literature12
- Law11
- Physics11
- Art and Design (Fine Art)10
- Business Studies:Single10
- Biology9
- Geography7
- Psychology7
- Computer Studies / Computing6
- Drama and Theatre Studies5
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
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
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed202
229
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
201 families put this school as their 1st choice (88% 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 75% 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British95.0%
- Mixed2.3%
- White (other)1.6%
- Asian0.3%
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.
Half 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 Hornsea School and Language College
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
Eastgate, Hornsea
East Riding of Yorkshire, HU18 1DW
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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