What is Teesdale School and Sixth Form's Ofsted rating?

Teesdale School and Sixth Form has been rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted. This is the overall judgement recorded under the inspection framework in use on the inspection date. Read the report and date before comparing it with newer inspections.

What does the admissions demand data show for Teesdale School and Sixth Form?

Teesdale School and Sixth Form recorded 94 first-choice applications and 99 offers made on national offer day for 2026/27. That is 0.9 first-choice applications per offer made. This is a historic demand signal, not an individual admission probability or a catchment boundary. Admission criteria, address, preferences and the applicant cohort also matter.

Does Teesdale School and Sixth Form offer SEND support?

DfE data for Teesdale School and Sixth Form lists these SEND need or provision categories: Social, Emotional & Mental Health, Speech, Language & Communication, Physical Disability, Other Difficulty/Disability. This does not guarantee a particular place or service. Contact the school's SENCO for its current provision.

What are Teesdale School and Sixth Form's exam results?

Teesdale School and Sixth Form's published exam results include: Average A-Level grade: C+ (2024/25); 49% achieved grade 5+ in English and Maths GCSE; Attainment 8 score of 49.6. Check the result year before comparing schools.

Teesdale School and Sixth Form

#9 in Best Secondary Schools in County Durham

Parent reviews

Pupils: 684
Ages: 11–18
Gender: Mixed
School type: Academy sponsor led

About

Teesdale School and Sixth Form is a state-funded secondary school in County Durham, North East, for pupils aged 11 to 18 for boys and girls. DfE data records 684 pupils on roll and a published capacity of 968.

The latest recorded Ofsted overall judgement is Outstanding (5 Mar 2025). The published Attainment 8 score was 49.6 for 2024/25. The published A-level average grade was C+ for 2024/25. Admissions data records 94 first-preference applications and 99 offers made on national offer day for 2026/27.

Reporting periods vary by source — Methodology.

School Rating

7/10

Classpot Rating

Teesdale School and Sixth Form’s combined academic results and attendance score is in the typical band compared with mainstream state secondary schools across England for 2024/25.

7/10Academic results

Typical

The school’s Attainment 8 score was 49.6 in 2024/25. This measures average attainment across eight GCSE-level qualifications, using DfE’s subject weighting rules.

The score compares this result with 3,058 mainstream state secondary schools in England with both required measures for 2024/25. Academic attainment contributes 90% of the combined score. It measures exam or assessment results, not how much progress pupils made from their starting points.

6/10Attendance

Typical

Overall absence was 7.93% of possible school sessions in 2024/25. This includes authorised and unauthorised absence; it is not the percentage of pupils who were persistently absent.

The score compares absence with 3,058 mainstream state secondary schools in England with both required measures for 2024/25. Lower absence receives a higher score. Attendance contributes 10% of the combined score and does not on its own measure teaching quality.

NAPupil progress

Not available for 2024/25

DfE did not publish Progress 8 for 2024/25 because the required KS2 assessments were cancelled during the pandemic. Progress would compare pupils’ outcomes with those of pupils with similar earlier attainment.

Pupil progress is not included in this version of Classpot Rating. Its absence does not reduce the school’s score.

Methodology and official sources

Contact Information

01833638166 www.teesdaleschool.co.uk

Prospect Place, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 8HH

Mr Hijab Zaheer

Details

School Type: Secondary (State)
Age Range: 11 to 18 years
Gender: Mixed
Establishment type: Academy sponsor led
Local Authority: County Durham
Sixth Form: Yes

The full reporton this school

School admissions data, what the Ofsted report means for you, and how it compares to nearby schools.

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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

Outstanding

Based on 5 Mar 2025 · Legacy grading · Open inspection report ↗

Inspection judgements
Area	Judgement
Leadership & management	Outstanding
Sixth-form provision	Outstanding

Previous inspection · 27 Jan 2015Legacy grading · Requires improvement

Previous inspection judgements
Area	Judgement
Overall effectiveness	Requires improvement
Leadership & management	Requires improvement
Sixth-form provision	Good

Ungraded inspection · 5 Mar 2025: Standards maintained

Published 9 Jul 2019.

Ofsted legacy grades; compare inspection dates and frameworks.

Catchment & distance

Distance unavailable; check admission criteria with the school or council.

Admissions

Application dates · 2027/28 entry
Measure	Value
School’s local authority	County Durham
Applications open	Usually 1 September 2026
Application deadline	31 October 2026
National offer day	1 March 2027

Apply through your home council; confirm local dates and any extra school forms.

Admissions demand · 2026/27
Measure	Value
Offers made on National Offer Day	99
First-preference applications	94
Applications (all preferences)	133
First-preference offers	94

Source: Published admissions data; follow each measure’s labelled basis, including all preferences where shown.

School performance

GCSE results

GCSE results · 2024/25
Measure	Value
Attainment 8 (average score)	49.6
English & maths: grades 9–4	71.7%
English & maths: grades 9–5	49.2%
EBacc entry	63.3%
EBacc grades 9–4	39.2%
EBacc grades 9–5	25.8%
EBacc average point score	4.52

DfE · 2024/25; compare the same year and measure (— unavailable or suppressed).

After age 16

A-level results

A-level results · 2024/25
Measure	Value
Average points per entry	34.14
Best three A-levels: average points	36.86
Value added	0.03
Value added: lower confidence limit	-0.2
Value added: upper confidence limit	0.27
AAB or higher (including two facilitating subjects)	11.8%
Pupils	29
Average grade	C+
Best three A-levels: average grade	B-
Published progress band	Average

DfE · 2024/25; compare the same year and measure (— unavailable or suppressed).

Destinations after GCSE · 2022/23
Destination	Pupils
This school’s sixth form	30.2%
Sixth-form college	24.5%
Further education college	26.4%
Apprenticeship	4.7%
Employment	9.4%
Not sustained	1.9%
Unknown	1.9%

Cohort: 106 pupils · Sustained education or employment: 96.2%

DfE destinations follow school leavers, not current pupils.

Destinations after A-levels · 2022/23
Destination	Pupils
Higher education	68.2%
Further education	0%
Other education	0%
Apprenticeship	6.8%
Employment	18.2%
Not sustained	2.3%
Unknown	4.5%

Cohort: 44 pupils · Sustained education or employment: 93.2%

DfE destinations follow school leavers, not current pupils.

A-level subjects

2024/25 · Published entries

Sociology10 entries
Biology9 entries
English Language7 entries
English Literature7 entries
History7 entries
Mathematics7 entries
Chemistry5 entries
Photography5 entries
Physics5 entries
Psychology5 entries
Art and Design3 entries

DfE subject entries; pupils may take multiple subjects.

Students and teachers

17.6 pupils per qualified teacher

2025/26 · Full-time equivalent teachers, not class size.

Students

Number of pupilsPeriod not recorded: 684
School capacityPeriod not recorded: 968
Free school meals (FSM)2025/26: 16.2%
English as an additional language (EAL)2025/26: 2.9%
Attendance2024/25: 92.07%
Persistent absence (10% or more of sessions)2024/25: 23.4%

Classes & attendance

Average class size2025/26: 21.5
Suspensions per 100 pupils2024/25: 21.13
Suspensions (count)2024/25: 146
Permanent exclusions per 100 pupils2024/25: 0.29
Permanent exclusions (count)2024/25: 2

More pupil data

Absence breakdown
Measure	Value
Authorised absence2024/25	5.33%
Unauthorised absence2024/25	2.61%

Ethnic background · 2025/26
Group	Pupils
White British	92.7%
White other	3.3%
Mixed	2.2%
Asian	0.8%
Black	0.4%
Other	0.3%

DfE school, census, workforce, absence and exclusion data; periods vary, and missing values are not zero.

Published SEND Data

Mental Health
Speech & Language
Physical
Other

DfE data; confirm current support with the school's SENCO.

Ofsted Parent View

59% would recommend this school

155 responses · Sep 2024 – Sep 2025

Parent survey responses
Question	Agree or strongly agree
Happy at school	69%
Feels safe	75%
Well behaved pupils	62%
Bullying dealt with	23%

Additional parent survey responses
Question	Agree or strongly agree
Aware of curriculum	36%
Concerns dealt with	40%
SEND support	40%
High expectations	71%
Child does well	66%
Progress updates	52%
Subject range	66%
Clubs & activities	82%
Personal development	44%

FAQ about Teesdale School and Sixth Form

Results: Published results describe a past pupil cohort. Compare the same measure and reporting year; attainment and progress measure different things. Understanding secondary results.

Inspection: Read the inspection date and full report alongside the headline judgement. Schools inspected under different frameworks cannot be compared using a headline grade alone. Understanding Ofsted inspections.

Admissions: Applications and places describe past demand, not your child’s chance of an offer. Check the entry year and current admission criteria, including any priority groups. School admissions timeline.

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