Whitby School
64%
Capacity
1,041
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About Whitby School
Whitby School is a popular choice among local families, with 205 first-preference applications for 223 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, making it oversubscribed with a ratio of 1.74 applicants per place. This level of demand suggests a strong reputation in the community, though no parent survey data is available to confirm satisfaction rates directly. The school, led by headteacher David Perry, is a mixed state secondary for pupils aged 11 to 19, located in North Yorkshire. It has a capacity of 1,625 but currently enrols 1,041 pupils, so there is room for growth. Just over a quarter of its students (27.2%) are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average and indicates a diverse intake. The school does not have a religious character and is not a boarding school.
Academically, Whitby School’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 rated it Good overall, with all key areas including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership, and sixth-form provision all judged Good. This represents a clear improvement from its previous inspection in 2019, when it was rated Requires Improvement. At Key Stage 4, the school’s Progress 8 score is -0.58, which is well below the local authority average of 0.07 and places it 36th out of 39 similar schools in North Yorkshire. Its Attainment 8 score is 38.4, and 50.2% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. At A-level, the school’s value-added score is -0.46, described as below average, with an average points per entry of 26.79 (equivalent to a C- grade). Only 4.8% of entries were graded AAB or higher.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a dining hall, music rooms, library, gymnasium, sixth-form centre, art studios, playing fields, and a chapel. Sports provision is strong, with options such as gymnastics, hockey, football, swimming, tennis, and netball, while extracurricular clubs include drama, choir, Model UN, gardening, eco club, and debate. Whitby School has a comprehensive SEND offer, supporting pupils with specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, visual impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. This makes it a suitable option for families whose children require additional support. Given its oversubscription, parents should apply early and consider the school’s academic profile carefully, particularly if they are prioritising high Progress 8 outcomes.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Prospect Hill, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1LA |
| Headteacher | David Perry |
| Local Authority | North Yorkshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,041 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 27.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,041 / 1,625 (64% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 May 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 18 Jul 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.58)
2713th of 3,141
Nationally
256th of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
36th of 39
In North Yorkshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less 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
28.9
'22/23
25.4
'23/24
26.8
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
2022/2335%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 265 pupils).
- FE college36%
- School sixth form (stay)35%
- Sixth form college9%
- Employment6%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship4%
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
2022/2331%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 86 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
17%
Russell Group
18%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- Employment40%
- University (HE)31%
- Apprenticeship15%
- Not sustained7%
- Further education3%
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- Mathematics23
- Geography20
- Psychology19
- Physics14
- Chemistry10
- History10
- English Language and Literature9
- Art and Design (Photography)6
- Biology6
- Design and Technology (Product Design)4
- German3
- Religious Studies3
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.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed223
389
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
205 families put this school as their 1st choice (53% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 15:30
Source: whitbyschool.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British89.0%
- White (other)3.0%
- Mixed2.6%
- Asian2.5%
- Black0.1%
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.
6
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
5
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Whitby 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
Prospect Hill, Whitby
North Yorkshire, YO21 1LA
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
