Most young people have big dreams and big plans for the future - and any parent would naturally want to send them to a school that nurtures that.
But not all schools are made equal, and with sometimes overlapping catchment areas, you and your child may be facing a tough choice. Especially so for secondary schools, which will usually see young people through their GCSE and A Level exams, and the university admission process.
We’re taking a look at the top-rated secondary schools around the country to help inform that decision, starting with the North East. While there are plenty of fantastic facilities on offer, we’ve chosen a selection of schools all rated as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted - meaning the quality of education provided, student behaviour and attitudes, school leadership and management, and student safeguarding have all been found to be excellent.
On top of that, we’ve narrowed it down based on school’s ‘Progress 8’ ratings.
These ratings are based on GCSE results and other student achievements, to determine how quickly students at each school learn and progress compared to a nationwide average.
Any score above 0 is above average, and we’ve only included schools with positive scores overall, according to official government data.
Here’s what we we found:
But not all schools are made equal, and with sometimes overlapping catchment areas, you and your child may be facing a tough choice. Especially so for secondary schools, which will usually see young people through their GCSE and A Level exams, and the university admission process.
![Durham Johnston is a mixed, community comprehensive school in Durham. It’s noted for having a high proportion of students who get into Oxbridge universities.
Its Progress 8 score is 0.26, putting it in the ‘above average’ band.](https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/jpim-static/2024/06/27/14/31/durhamjohnston.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=800)
5. Durham Johnston Comprehensive School
Durham Johnston is a mixed, community comprehensive school in Durham. It’s noted for having a high proportion of students who get into Oxbridge universities. Its Progress 8 score is 0.26, putting it in the ‘above average’ band. | Google
![All Saints is a mixed, Anglican academy in Stockton-on-Tees. It doesn’t offer sixth form studies.
It has a Progress 8 Score of 0.33, landing it in the ‘above average’ band.](https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/jpim-static/2024/06/27/14/41/allsaintscoe.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=800)
6. All Saints Church of England Academy
All Saints is a mixed, Anglican academy in Stockton-on-Tees. It doesn’t offer sixth form studies. It has a Progress 8 Score of 0.33, landing it in the ‘above average’ band. | Google
![Teesdale School is a mixed academy in Barnard Castle, County Durham.
It has a Progress 8 Score of 0.21. However it is in the ‘average’ band, as the school’s confidence interval spans both above and below zero.](https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/jpim-static/2024/06/27/14/38/teesdale.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=800)
7. Teesdale School and Sixth Form
Teesdale School is a mixed academy in Barnard Castle, County Durham. It has a Progress 8 Score of 0.21. However it is in the ‘average’ band, as the school’s confidence interval spans both above and below zero. | Google
![Cardinal Hume is a mixed Roman Catholic academy in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear.
It has an excellent Progress 8 score of 0.60, putting it in the ‘well above average band’ - the highest one available.](https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/jpim-static/2024/06/27/14/21/cardinalhume.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=800)
8. Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead
Cardinal Hume is a mixed Roman Catholic academy in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. It has an excellent Progress 8 score of 0.60, putting it in the ‘well above average band’ - the highest one available. | Google