Classpot

Teesdale School and Sixth Form

County Durham, DL12 8HHSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Outstanding
Mar 2025
Progress 8
+0.27
Above average
−20+2
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
123 1st-choice / 126 places
Ranking
#904
of 3,141 nationally

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.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterNone
AddressProspect Place, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 8HH
HeadteacherHijab Zaheer
Local AuthorityCounty Durham
Number of Pupils691
Free School Meals (FSM)18.2%
School Capacity691 / 968 (71% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

What 155 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

5 Mar 2025
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Sixth Form Provision
Outstanding

Latest monitoring visit (5 Mar 2025): Standards maintained

Source: Ofsted, 9 Jul 2019. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

9
Swimming PoolScience LabsPlaying FieldsAstro TurfArt StudiosTennis CourtsLibrarySports HallSixth Form Centre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

15

Sports

CricketMartial ArtsCross CountryRoundersRugbyBasketballTennisSwimming

Clubs & Activities

ChoirDramaOrchestraYoung EnterpriseDuke of EdinburghModel United NationsDebate

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

Mental HealthSpeech & LanguagePhysicalOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Teesdale School and Sixth Form

Teesdale School and Sixth Form has been rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted. This means the school provides an exceptional quality of education, and pupils thrive both academically and personally.