Ponteland High School
96%
Capacity
1,543
Pupils
2.1x
Demand
About Ponteland High School
Ponteland High School is a large, mixed secondary school in Northumberland that is clearly in high demand. With 1,543 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,600, it is operating very close to its maximum. The school’s popularity is underlined by its admissions data for 2025/26: it received 508 applications for 241 places, making it oversubscribed by more than two to one. Of those, 296 families put it as their first preference, and all 241 places went to first-preference applicants. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 12.1%, which is below the national average for secondary schools and suggests a relatively affluent intake compared with many state schools nationally. The school is a non-denominational state school with no religious character, and it has a dedicated sixth form on site.
Academically, Ponteland performs well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.13 is significantly higher than the Northumberland local authority average of -0.22, meaning pupils here make stronger progress than their peers in other schools across the county. This places the school 4th out of 16 secondary schools in Northumberland and 34th out of 142 in the North East region. At GCSE, 82% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and the average Attainment 8 score was 56.1. The school also has a strong focus on the English Baccalaureate, with 66.3% of pupils entering the EBacc suite of subjects and 50.2% achieving a grade 4 or above across all five components. In the sixth form, A-level students achieved an average of 35.62 points per entry, equivalent to a B- grade, and the school’s value-added score of -0.06 is rated as average.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including science labs, art studios, a theatre, a sports hall, tennis courts, an astro turf pitch, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports provision includes football, rugby, hockey, cricket, rowing, and cross country, while extracurricular clubs cover debate, drama, coding, Model UN, and Young Enterprise. Ponteland also has a comprehensive SEND offer, with support for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. Given its strong academic results, oversubscribed admissions, and wide range of facilities, this school is likely to suit families who prioritise high attainment and a broad curriculum, particularly those living within its catchment area in the Ponteland area of Northumberland.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | The Crescent, Ponteland, Northumberland, NE20 9EG |
| Headteacher | Stefan McElwee |
| Local Authority | Northumberland |
| Number of Pupils | 1,543 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 12.1% |
| School Capacity | 1,543 / 1,600 (96% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
23 May 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 6 Jul 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.13)
1246th of 3,141
Nationally
34th of 142
In North East
4th of 16
In Northumberland
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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
40.0
'22/23
37.6
'23/24
35.6
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
2022/2355%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 273 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)55%
- FE college28%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Employment4%
- 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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2367%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 155 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
29%
Russell Group
32%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
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)67%
- Employment19%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Not sustained5%
- Further education2%
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- Psychology44
- Mathematics39
- Biology32
- Business Studies:Single30
- English Literature27
- Economics24
- Chemistry21
- Media/Film/Tv Studies21
- History19
- Physics19
- English Language16
- Religious Studies16
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
14Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed241
508
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
296 families put this school as their 1st choice (58% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 15:25
Source: ponthigh.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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 British85.9%
- Asian7.8%
- Mixed3.1%
- White (other)1.5%
- Black0.1%
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
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half 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.
5
Total schools
5
Oversubscribed
4
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 Ponteland High 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
The Crescent, Ponteland
Northumberland, NE20 9EG
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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