Whitburn Church of England Academy

About Whitburn Church of England Academy

Whitburn Church of England Academy sits at the top of the South Tyneside league table for secondary schools, with a Progress 8 score of -0.11 that comfortably outperforms the local authority average of -0.35. That gap is significant: while the LA average suggests pupils across South Tyneside typically leave school with grades roughly a third of a grade lower per subject than their peers nationally, Whitburn’s figure is much closer to the national baseline. It ranks first out of nine schools of its type in the borough, placing it in the top 13% locally. In the North East region it sits 57th out of 142 schools, and nationally it lands in the 57th percentile. The school is oversubscribed by a considerable margin — 319 applications for 193 places in 2025/26, with 187 first-preference offers made from 188 first-preference applications — which suggests local families see it as a strong option.

Academically, the picture is mixed. At Key Stage 4, the school’s Attainment 8 score of 48.8 is solid, and 70.1% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though the figure drops to 39.3% at grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate is low at 12.4%, and the EBacc average point score sits at 4.13. Progress in maths is notably weaker than in English: the maths Progress 8 score is -0.44, compared with -0.05 in English. The open element of Progress 8 (which covers other GCSE subjects) is slightly positive at 0.04. At A-level, the school’s value-added score is -0.13, which is classed as below average, and the average points per entry is 31.92, equivalent to a C+. The best three A-levels average out at a grade C. Ofsted’s most recent graded inspection in November 2019 rated the school Good overall, with Outstanding for personal development. An ungraded inspection in January 2025 confirmed that standards are being maintained.

The school is a Church of England academy with a sixth form, and its facilities are generous for a state secondary: a swimming pool, theatre, chapel, astro turf, tennis courts, and dedicated music and art studios. SEND provision covers eight areas including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. Parent View responses from 147 families in 2024/25 show strong satisfaction overall — 80% would recommend the school, and 83% of respondents said their child does not have SEND. However, among the 17% who do have SEND children, opinion is sharply divided: 40% strongly disagreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need, while 28% strongly agreed. For families without SEND needs, the school looks like a popular, well-regarded local option with strong behaviour, good extracurricular choice (orchestra, coding, debate, Young Enterprise), and a clear Christian character.

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