Huntcliff School

Huntcliff School has been rated as good overall in its first inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has shown notable improvements in the quality of education provided, with particular strengths in subjects such as history and drama, where pupils achieve well. The leadership team, supported by the trust, has a clear grasp of areas needing enhancement and is actively working towards these goals. There is a commendable emphasis on well-being, with pastoral support helping to foster a positive learning environment and a focus on mental health.

Strengths

• Pupils are polite and welcoming, exhibiting a strong school ethos.
• The curriculum includes diverse topics beyond academics, such as diversity and fundamental British values.
• Improvements in subjects like history, drama, and English are evident.
• Leaders have a strong understanding of areas needing improvement.
• Teachers effectively support students with SEND, ensuring their needs are met.
• Pupils demonstrate good behaviour and have a positive attitude towards learning.
• The school has a well-planned PSHE curriculum that enhances students' understanding.
• There are various extra-curricular opportunities for pupils.
• Strong attendance rates are maintained below local and national averages.

Areas for Improvement

• Some lessons do not consistently support pupils' understanding, slowing progress.
• Many pupils do not engage with the diverse personal development opportunities available.

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 Huntcliff School attended 91.1% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 25.4% 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, 8.6% of pupils at Huntcliff School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No 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 Huntcliff School had 16.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.7% 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, 32.5% of pupils at Huntcliff School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.3% 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 Huntcliff School received £8,529 and spent £8,272 for each of its 536 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £62,000 (£115 per pupil).

Across all 15 schools of Spark Education Trust, income was £7,398 and spending £7,254 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 Redcar And Cleveland · Redcar and Cleveland local authority: places and applications

Huntcliff School is part of Spark Education Trust, which runs 15 schools. The nearest others:

• Saltburn Primary School Saltburn-By-The-Sea
• Laurence Jackson School Guisborough
• Chandlers Ridge Academy Middlesbrough
• Bewley Primary School Billingham
• Bader Primary School Stockton-On-Tees
• Whinstone Primary School Stockton-On-Tees
• Whitehouse Primary School Stockton-On-Tees
• Levendale Primary School Yarm
• The Links Primary School Stockton-On-Tees
• Junction Farm Primary School Stockton-On-Tees

What is Huntcliff School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Huntcliff School is Good, from an inspection in September 2023.

When was Huntcliff School last inspected by Ofsted?

Huntcliff School was last inspected in September 2023.

How many pupils does Huntcliff School have?

Huntcliff School has 544 pupils on roll.

What age range does Huntcliff School cover?

Huntcliff School for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Huntcliff School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 47.7, and 53% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Huntcliff School?

Huntcliff School is at Marske Mill Lane, Saltburn By the Sea, North Yorkshire, TS12 1HJ.