Seaham High School

About Seaham High School

Seaham High School’s Progress 8 score of -0.43 sits notably below the County Durham local authority average of -0.21 for secondary schools, placing it in the bottom half of the region. This means that, on average, pupils at this 11-16 mixed state school achieve nearly half a grade less per subject across their eight best GCSEs compared with students in similar schools nationally. The school’s ranking within the county is 27th out of 35 schools of its type, and it falls in the bottom 50 nationally by this measure. While the headline figure is a concern, the breakdown reveals a more nuanced picture: pupils in the ‘open’ element of Progress 8 (non-EBacc subjects) actually score +0.19, suggesting strengths in creative and vocational options. However, the EBacc element drags the overall score down to -0.82, and English and maths sit at -0.72 and -0.54 respectively. For parents weighing up options, this data suggests a school where core academic performance is an area for improvement, but where some subject pathways may offer better outcomes.

In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, Seaham High School was rated Good across all five categories: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This represents a consistent rating from its previous inspection in 2013, which also judged it Good overall. On the key Attainment 8 measure, pupils achieved an average score of 43, compared with a national average typically around 46.5. The proportion of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and maths (the ‘basics’ measure at the stronger pass level) was 36%, while 57% achieved a grade 4 or above. Only 11.5% of pupils entered the EBacc and achieved a grade 5 or above, which is low and reflects the school’s weaker performance in that suite of subjects. The school’s EBacc average point score of 3.56 further underlines this. With 41.8% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a significantly disadvantaged intake, which provides important context for these outcomes.

Seaham High School is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 270 applications for 211 places, with 208 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.28. The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, sports hall, and music rooms, alongside clubs such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Young Enterprise, and debate. Sports on offer include tennis, swimming, and gymnastics. The school’s SEND provisions are comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. There is no sixth form or nursery provision. This school will suit families who value a broad extracurricular offer and strong SEND support, and who are realistic about the academic challenges posed by a high-disadvantage intake. The data suggests it is a Good school working hard to improve core outcomes, particularly in English, maths, and EBacc subjects.

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