The Duchess's Community High School

About The Duchess's Community High School

The Duchess's Community High School in Northumberland holds a Requires Improvement rating from Ofsted, and its academic data tells a story of a school working to raise its game. At Key Stage 4, the school’s Progress 8 score sits at -0.26, meaning pupils on average achieve just under a quarter of a grade less per subject than their peers nationally. That figure is slightly below the Northumberland local authority average of -0.22, placing the school 11th out of 27 similar schools in the county. In national rankings, it falls in the bottom 50% of schools, ranked 2,136th out of 3,141. The Attainment 8 score of 42.7 is modest, and only 34% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. However, the sixth form offers a brighter picture, with a value-added score of 0.15 and a progress banding rated as above average, suggesting that students who stay on post-16 make stronger gains.

At A-level, the school’s average points per entry is 33.32, equivalent to a C+ grade, and the best three A-levels average out at 34.85 points, also a C+. Around 19.3% of entries achieved grades AAB or higher, which is respectable for a school with a mixed intake. The EBacc entry rate is low at 9.7%, and only 3.5% of pupils achieved the full EBacc at grade 5 or above, reflecting a curriculum that does not heavily prioritise the full suite of academic subjects. The Progress 8 breakdown shows negative scores across all areas: English (-0.31), maths (-0.19), EBacc subjects (-0.37), and open subjects (-0.18). This suggests that underperformance is fairly consistent across the board, though maths is the least weak area. The sixth form’s above-average progress banding is a notable counterpoint, indicating that the school may be more effective at supporting older students than those in Key Stage 4.

The school is a large mixed secondary with 1,341 pupils and a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, gymnasium, and playing fields, plus dedicated music rooms, art studios, and a sixth form centre. Sports on offer include cricket, rugby, rowing, hockey, and martial arts, while clubs range from Debate and Chess to Young Enterprise, DofE, and Eco Club. The school has a chapel on site, despite having no religious character. For families considering this school, the key trade-off is between a sixth form that adds value and a main school where academic outcomes lag behind the local average. It may suit families who value breadth of extracurricular provision and are prepared to support their child through a school that is still working on its core academic performance. Oversubscription data is not available, so it is unclear how competitive admissions are.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About The Duchess's Community High School

Helpful Guides for Parents