Teesdale School and Sixth Form
71%
Capacity
691
Pupils
1.3x
Demand
About Teesdale School and Sixth Form
Teesdale School and Sixth Form stands out sharply against the County Durham average for secondary schools. Its Progress 8 score of 0.27 is well above the local authority average of -0.21, meaning pupils here make significantly more academic progress than their peers across the county. That places the school 7th out of 31 similar schools in County Durham, putting it in the top quarter locally. The school’s Ofsted rating is Outstanding, a grade it earned in its most recent graded inspection, having previously been rated Requires Improvement. This is a substantial turnaround, and the school is one of only five Outstanding-rated secondaries in the entire local authority. The headteacher, Hijab Zaheer, leads a mixed, non-denominational state school for pupils aged 11 to 18, with a current roll of 691 against a capacity of 968, so there is some room for growth.
Academically, the school performs well across the board. At Key Stage 4, 61% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, and the Attainment 8 score sits at 53.4. The school’s Progress 8 banding is ‘Above average’, with particularly strong progress in English (0.44) and the EBacc subjects (0.3), while maths progress is more modest at 0.1. At A-level, the school’s value-added score is 0.19, and the average grade per entry is B-, with the best three A-levels averaging a B grade. The sixth form is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and 27.3% of entries achieved AAB or higher. The school also has a strong EBacc entry rate of 58.5%, well above the national average for state schools, and 43.9% of pupils entered the full EBacc.
The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26, it received 168 applications for 126 places, with 123 first-preference offers made. Facilities are strong, including a swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, a sports hall, and a dedicated sixth form centre. The school offers a wide range of clubs and sports, from choir and drama to martial arts and rugby. Parent View responses from 155 parents show mixed feelings: 59% would recommend the school, and most parents agree their child is happy and feels safe, but concerns are raised around SEND support, with 41% strongly disagreeing that SEND children get the support they need. The school does list provisions for social, emotional and mental health, speech and language, and physical disabilities. This is a school that suits families who value strong academic outcomes and a broad extracurricular offer, but those with children needing SEND support may want to investigate further.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Prospect Place, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 8HH |
| Headteacher | Hijab Zaheer |
| Local Authority | County Durham |
| Number of Pupils | 691 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 18.2% |
| School Capacity | 691 / 968 (71% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
5 Mar 2025Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Latest inspection (5 Mar 2025): Standards maintained
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 9 Jul 2019. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.27)
904th of 3,141
Nationally
23rd of 142
In North East
7th 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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
36.5
'22/23
35.2
'23/24
37.9
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
2022/2343%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 100 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)43%
- FE college25%
- Sixth form college15%
- Not sustained8%
- Employment6%
- Apprenticeship1%
91% 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
2022/2363%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 38 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
33%
Russell Group
40%
Top-third HE
5%
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)63%
- Employment21%
- Not sustained5%
- Further education3%
- Apprenticeship3%
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- Mathematics16
- Psychology15
- Biology13
- Chemistry12
- Sociology12
- Geography9
- History9
- Physics9
- Art and Design7
- English Literature6
- Design and Technology (Product Design)5
- Art and Design (Photography)4
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.
Ofsted Parent View
155 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed126
168
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
123 families put this school as their 1st choice (73% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
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 British94.1%
- White (other)2.3%
- Mixed1.6%
- Asian0.2%
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
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% 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.
4
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
3
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 Teesdale School and Sixth Form
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
Prospect Place, Barnard Castle
County Durham, DL12 8HH
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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