Classpot

Whickham School

Gateshead, NE16 5ARSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
5 Good
Jan 2025
Progress 8
+0.26
Above average
−20+2
Competition
1.1×
Oversubscribed
302 1st-choice / 280 places
Ranking
#927
of 3,141 nationally

About Whickham School

Whickham School is a large mixed secondary and sixth form in Gateshead, operating under the local authority. It is the second-highest ranked school in the borough for Progress 8, sitting behind Cardinal Hume Catholic School and ahead of St Thomas More Catholic School and Thorp Academy. With 1,721 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,713, the school is clearly in demand. In the 2025/26 admissions round, it received 661 applications for 280 places, with 272 of those going to first-preference families. The oversubscription ratio of 2.36 reflects its strong local reputation. The school is non-religious and co-educational, serving pupils from age 11 through to 18. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, carried out in January 2025 and published that April, rated the school Good across all graded areas: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. The previous inspection in 2018 also rated the school Good overall.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressBurnthouse Lane, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Gateshead, NE16 5AR
HeadteacherFraser Turnbull
Local AuthorityGateshead
Number of Pupils1,721
Free School Meals (FSM)21.7%
School Capacity1,721 / 1,713 (100% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

What 233 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

14 Jan 2025
View Report
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form Provision
Good

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.

Source: Ofsted, 3 Apr 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

11
Science LabsSports HallLibrarySixth Form CentreTennis CourtsPlaying FieldsSwimming PoolTheatreMusic RoomsICT SuiteChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

17

Sports

Martial ArtsFootballRowingBasketballGymnasticsHockeyRoundersDanceNetballSwimming

Clubs & Activities

DramaScience ClubChoirModel United NationsYoung EnterpriseCodingDebate

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

SEND Support

Resourced Provision
AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyResourced ProvisionMulti-SensoryOther

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:35 – 15:15

Source: whickhamschool.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Whickham School

Whickham School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.