The Academy at Shotton Hall

The Academy at Shotton Hall is performing exceptionally well, demonstrating an outstanding quality of education across all domains. The school’s commitment to high academic standards fosters a learning environment where pupils excel and are motivated to achieve exceptional outcomes. The integration of personal development into the curriculum has shaped students into well-rounded individuals who actively engage with their community and have a strong understanding of global issues. This marks the school's first routine inspection since it was last evaluated in 2013, showing resilience during the intervening years.

Strengths

• Exceptional education that meets high expectations.
• Strong pupil motivation and engagement in learning.
• Effective connections between learning and real-world applications.
• Outstanding behaviour and respect among pupils.
• Robust provision for reading and literacy enhancement.
• Comprehensive personal development linked to citizenship.
• High-quality professional development for staff.
• Supportive and positive school culture.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at The Academy at Shotton Hall attended 92.4% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 23.5% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 3.0% of pupils at The Academy at Shotton Hall were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 5 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 The Academy at Shotton Hall had 13.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 14.2% of pupils at The Academy at Shotton Hall were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 The Academy at Shotton Hall received £9,308 and spent £9,236 for each of its 1,164 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £2,403,000 (£2,065 per pupil).

Across all 13 schools of North East Learning Trust, income was £8,623 and spending £8,502 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Peterlee · County Durham local authority: places and applications

The Academy at Shotton Hall is part of North East Learning Trust, which runs 15 schools. The nearest others:

• Easington Academy Peterlee
• Browney Primary Academy Browney
• Diamond Hall Junior Academy Sunderland
• Biddick Academy Washington
• Hermitage Academy Chester Le Street
• Sacriston Academy Durham
• Rye Hills Academy Redcar
• Carville Academy Wallsend
• Churchill Academy Wallsend
• Teesdale School and Sixth Form Barnard Castle

What is The Academy at Shotton Hall's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Academy at Shotton Hall is Outstanding, from an inspection in September 2024.

When was The Academy at Shotton Hall last inspected by Ofsted?

The Academy at Shotton Hall was last inspected in September 2024.

How many pupils does The Academy at Shotton Hall have?

The Academy at Shotton Hall has 1,202 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Academy at Shotton Hall cover?

The Academy at Shotton Hall for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are The Academy at Shotton Hall's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 55.0, and 56% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is The Academy at Shotton Hall?

The Academy at Shotton Hall is at Passfield Way, Peterlee, County Durham, SR8 1AU.