Sedgefield Community College
101%
Capacity
981
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Sedgefield Community College
Sedgefield Community College is a mixed 11-16 state secondary in County Durham, one of only five schools in the local authority to hold an Outstanding Ofsted rating. It ranks fourth out of 31 similar schools in the area by Progress 8 score, placing it in the top 13% of its LA peers. The three schools ahead of it are Tanfield School, St Leonard's Catholic School in Durham, and The Academy at Shotton Hall. With 981 pupils on roll against a capacity of 975, the school is effectively full and was oversubscribed for 2025/26 entry, receiving 342 applications for 189 places and making 186 first-preference offers. Its oversubscription ratio of 1.81 reflects strong local demand, and 235 families put it as their first choice. Headteacher Paul Fleming leads a school where just under a quarter of pupils (24.9%) are eligible for free school meals, a figure that gives some context to its academic performance.
Academically, Sedgefield Community College performs well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.36 is rated 'Above average' nationally and sits well above County Durham's LA average of -0.21. Attainment 8 stands at 51.9, and 69.6% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, compared with 46.6% achieving the stronger grade 5 benchmark. The EBacc average point score is 4.65, with 53.9% of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects. Progress in English (0.39) and open subjects (0.58) is notably strong, while maths progress is more modest at 0.06. In its most recent graded inspection in 2017, Ofsted rated the school Outstanding overall, with leadership and management also Outstanding. A subsequent ungraded inspection in 2022 confirmed the school remains Outstanding. The previous inspection in 2013 had rated it Good, so the trajectory has been upward.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a theatre, art studios, music rooms, an astro turf pitch, and a gymnasium. Sports on offer include rugby, swimming, badminton, football, gymnastics, and tennis, while extracurricular clubs span the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Young Enterprise, eco club, science club, drama, choir, and a newspaper club. SEND provision is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate to severe 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, and the school is not a boarding school. Sedgefield Community College suits families in County Durham who want a high-performing, oversubscribed secondary with strong academic outcomes and a wide range of enrichment, particularly those whose children may benefit from its well-documented SEND support.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Hawthorn Road, Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, TS21 3DD |
| Headteacher | Paul Fleming |
| Local Authority | County Durham |
| Number of Pupils | 981 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 24.9% |
| School Capacity | 981 / 975 (101% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
11 May 2022Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Latest inspection (11 May 2022): School remains Outstanding
Source: Ofsted, 6 Apr 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.36)
728th of 3,141
Nationally
14th of 142
In North East
4th of 31
In County Durham
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more 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
2022/2336%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 193 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)36%
- FE college34%
- Apprenticeship10%
- Sixth form college9%
- Not sustained6%
- Employment5%
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
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed189
342
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
235 families put this school as their 1st choice (69% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:05
Source: sedgefieldcommunitycollege.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half 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 British93.8%
- Mixed2.9%
- Asian1.2%
- White (other)1.1%
- Black0.2%
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.
3
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sedgefield Community College
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
Hawthorn Road, Stockton-on-Tees
County Durham, TS21 3DD
Hawthorn Road, Stockton-on-Tees
County Durham, TS21 3DD
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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