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King James I Academy Bishop Auckland

County Durham, DL14 7JZSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
May 2026
Progress 8
-0.21
Below average
−20+2
Competition
1.1×
Oversubscribed
203 1st-choice / 176 places
Ranking
#2,039
of 3,141 nationally

About King James I Academy Bishop Auckland

King James I Academy Bishop Auckland is a mixed state secondary and sixth form in County Durham, serving 926 pupils aged 11 to 18. Within the local authority, it ranks 20th out of 31 schools of the same type based on Progress 8 scores, placing it in the bottom half of the county. The top-performing peers in the area are Tanfield School, St Leonard's Catholic School in Durham, and The Academy at Shotton Hall, all of which post stronger academic progress scores. The school is non-religious and led by headteacher Simon Whitehead. It is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 492 applications for 176 places, with 203 first-preference applications and 174 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.8. Over half of pupils (50.9%) are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average, reflecting the school's role in a community with significant economic disadvantage.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressSouth Church Road, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 7JZ
HeadteacherSimon Whitehead
Local AuthorityCounty Durham
Number of Pupils926
Free School Meals (FSM)50.9%
School Capacity926 / 956 (97% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

17 Feb 2022
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form Provision
Good

Latest monitoring visit (17 Feb 2022): School remains Good

Source: Ofsted, 2 May 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

8
Dining HallTheatreSixth Form CentrePlaying FieldsLibraryScience LabsSports HallChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

17

Sports

FootballNetballGymnasticsDanceRugbyCricketRowing

Clubs & Activities

CodingGardeningDramaBook ClubFilm ClubEco ClubDuke of EdinburghNewspaperYoung EnterpriseDebate

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About King James I Academy Bishop Auckland

King James I Academy Bishop Auckland has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.