Hermitage Academy

Hermitage Academy, which is part of North East Learning Trust, has made significant improvements since its establishment as an academy in 2019. Overall, the school performs well in all assessed areas, demonstrating a strong commitment to high expectations for both behavior and academic achievement. The school boasts a well-designed curriculum that effectively prepares pupils for their future choices, alongside a comprehensive personal development program that enhances pupils' social skills and character development. However, published examination outcomes have not yet aligned with the school's ambitious goals, indicating that some pupils are not achieving their full potential.

Strengths

• High expectations of pupil behavior and achievement.
• Well-designed and effectively delivered curriculum.
• Strong personal development opportunities through extra-curricular activities.
• Effective strategies for supporting pupils with SEND.
• High-quality careers advice and guidance for all pupils.

Areas for Improvement

• Historical underperformance in external examination outcomes.
• Need for improved communication with the school community.

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 Hermitage Academy attended 92.6% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 20.0% 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, 8.0% of pupils at Hermitage Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 12 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 Hermitage Academy had 14.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.2% 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, 16.6% of pupils at Hermitage Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.6% 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 Hermitage Academy received £8,898 and spent £8,769 for each of its 932 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £887,000 (£952 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 Chester Le Street · County Durham local authority: places and applications

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

• Sacriston Academy Durham
• Biddick Academy Washington
• Browney Primary Academy Browney
• Diamond Hall Junior Academy Sunderland
• Carville Academy Wallsend
• Easington Academy Peterlee
• Churchill Academy Wallsend
• The Academy at Shotton Hall Peterlee
• Meadowdale Academy Bedlington
• Bedlington Academy Bedlington

What is Hermitage Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Hermitage Academy is Good, from an inspection in May 2024.

When was Hermitage Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Hermitage Academy was last inspected in May 2024.

How many pupils does Hermitage Academy have?

Hermitage Academy has 881 pupils on roll.

What age range does Hermitage Academy cover?

Hermitage Academy for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Hermitage Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 50.1, and 50% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Hermitage Academy?

Hermitage Academy is at Waldridge Lane, Chester le Street, County Durham, DH2 3AD.