Whickham School
100%
Capacity
1,721
Pupils
2.4x
Demand
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.
Academically, Whickham delivers results that sit comfortably above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.26 is classed as 'Above average' and compares favourably with the Gateshead LA average of -0.14. Attainment 8 sits at 52.4, and 76.3% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is high at 66.9%, with 48.1% achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above. In the sixth form, the school's value-added score of 0.03 is rated 'Average', with pupils averaging 34.41 points per entry, equivalent to a C+ grade. The best three A-levels average out at a B- grade. Nationally, the school ranks 927th out of 3,141 schools on Progress 8, placing it in the top 30% of schools across the country. In the North East region, it sits 25th out of 142 schools.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, tennis courts, playing fields, music rooms, and a dedicated sixth-form centre. Sports on offer include rowing, martial arts, gymnastics, and hockey, while clubs range from Model UN and Young Enterprise to coding and debate. SEND provision is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. There is also a resourced provision. Parent View responses, collected between September 2024 and September 2025, show strong satisfaction: 93% of the 233 respondents would recommend the school. Notably, 73% strongly agreed that the school has high expectations for their child, and 63% strongly agreed their child feels safe. This is a school that suits families looking for a large, well-subscribed community school with strong academic outcomes, a wide range of extracurricular opportunities, and robust SEND support.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Burnthouse Lane, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Gateshead, NE16 5AR |
| Headteacher | Fraser Turnbull |
| Local Authority | Gateshead |
| Number of Pupils | 1,721 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 21.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,721 / 1,713 (100% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
14 Jan 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 3 Apr 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.26)
927th of 3,141
Nationally
25th of 142
In North East
2nd of 7
In Gateshead
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
38.2
'22/23
35.4
'23/24
34.4
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
2022/2367%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 266 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)67%
- FE college21%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship2%
- Employment1%
92% 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
2022/2356%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 145 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
35%
Russell Group
38%
Top-third HE
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)56%
- Employment16%
- Not sustained12%
- Apprenticeship11%
- Further education1%
- Other education1%
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- Mathematics42
- Business Studies:Single38
- Biology35
- Psychology28
- Sociology24
- Chemistry22
- English Literature22
- English Language17
- History17
- Art and Design (Fine Art)14
- Religious Studies13
- Physical Education / Sports Studies12
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
233 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed280
661
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
302 families put this school as their 1st choice (46% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half 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%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British88.0%
- Asian4.0%
- Mixed2.2%
- White (other)1.3%
- Black0.2%
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.
8
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
7
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Whickham School
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
Burnthouse Lane, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Gateshead, NE16 5AR
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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