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Mortimer Community College

South Tyneside, NE33 4UGSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
2 Good · 2 Requires improvement
Jan 2025
Progress 8
-0.53
Well below average
−20+2
Competition
1.2×
Oversubscribed
295 1st-choice / 237 places
Ranking
#2,640
of 3,141 nationally

About Mortimer Community College

Mortimer Community College in South Tyneside was rated Requires Improvement in its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2025, a downgrade from its previous Good rating. The inspection judged the quality of education and leadership and management as requiring improvement, while behaviour and attitudes, and personal development, were both rated Good. The most telling academic metric is the school's Progress 8 score of -0.53, which is classified as 'well below average' nationally. This means that, on average, pupils achieved half a grade less per subject than pupils with similar starting points across the country. To put that in context, the local authority average Progress 8 score for South Tyneside is -0.35, so Mortimer's result sits noticeably below the typical performance for the area. The school ranks 7th out of 8 secondary schools in the local authority on this measure, placing it in the bottom half nationally.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressReading Road, South Shields, South Tyneside, NE33 4UG
HeadteacherSimon Hignett
Local AuthoritySouth Tyneside
Number of Pupils1,111
Free School Meals (FSM)41.4%
School Capacity1,111 / 1,156 (96% full)

The full report on this school

What 60 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, 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

14 Jan 2025
View Report
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Requires improvement

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.

Source: Ofsted, 2 Apr 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

9
Art StudiosSports HallTennis CourtsDining HallSwimming PoolTheatreGymnasiumAstro TurfChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

11

Sports

NetballSwimmingCross CountryRowingDanceRounders

Clubs & Activities

ChessModel United NationsOrchestraBook ClubChoir

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 Mortimer Community College

Mortimer Community College has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.