Laurence Jackson School
99%
Capacity
1,235
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Laurence Jackson School
Laurence Jackson School is clearly a popular choice among local families, with 306 first-preference applications for 259 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.79. That means nearly two families put it as their top pick for every available spot, and overall the school received 464 applications. Of those, 258 first-preference offers were made, so the vast majority of families who wanted it most got a place. While the school doesn't publish a parent-view recommendation percentage, the high demand speaks for itself. It's a mixed, non-denominational secondary for ages 11 to 16, with no sixth form, and headteacher Catherine Juckes leads a large school of 1,235 pupils, very close to its capacity of 1,250. The school has a higher-than-average proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 25.7%, reflecting its inclusive intake.
Academically, Laurence Jackson School was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024, a significant improvement from its previous Inadequate rating in 2019. The inspection found all key areas — quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management — to be Good. On Progress 8, the school scored -0.17, which is above the local authority average of -0.23, ranking it 5th out of 9 secondary schools in Redcar and Cleveland. Nationally, it sits in the 61st percentile, placing it in the middle of the pack. Attainment 8 was 45, and 61.5% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though the figure drops to 41.4% at grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score was 3.82, with 26.8% of pupils entering the EBacc combination.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including a swimming pool, sports hall, playing fields, music rooms, ICT suite, art studios, and even a chapel. Sports provision is broad, with cricket, rugby, basketball, rowing, gymnastics, martial arts, athletics, hockey, tennis, and swimming all available. There's also a strong set of extracurricular clubs covering science, coding, drama, choir, orchestra, gardening, eco club, and more. For SEND, the school supports a wide range of needs including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. Given its oversubscription, families living closest to the school will likely have the best chance of securing a place. It's a good fit for families who want a large, inclusive secondary with strong pastoral and extracurricular provision, and who are comfortable with its academic profile being slightly below the national average but above the local one.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Church Lane, Guisborough, Redcar and Cleveland, TS14 6RD |
| Headteacher | Catherine Juckes |
| Local Authority | Redcar and Cleveland |
| Number of Pupils | 1,235 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 25.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,235 / 1,250 (99% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
18 Jun 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Source: Ofsted, 17 Jul 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.17)
1924th of 3,141
Nationally
66th of 142
In North East
5th of 9
In Redcar and Cleveland
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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/231%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 240 pupils).
- FE college46%
- Sixth form college32%
- Apprenticeship8%
- Not sustained6%
- Employment5%
- School sixth form (stay)1%
94% 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.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
20Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed259
464
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
306 families put this school as their 1st choice (66% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 14:50
Source: laurencejackson.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half 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 British95.8%
- Mixed2.5%
- White (other)0.6%
- 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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Laurence Jackson School
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
Church Lane, Guisborough
Redcar and Cleveland, TS14 6RD
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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