Schools by area › County Durham › Hermitage Academy
Hermitage Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy
Waldridge Lane, Chester le Street DH2 3AD · hermitageacademy.co.uk · 0191 388 7161
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Mar 2024
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 49.1
- average Attainment 8 score. County Durham 44.1, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 881
- 84% of 1,050 places
- Local authority
- County Durham
- Free school meals
- 30.5%
- First language not English
- 2.4%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 133 families put the school first and 154 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 154 | 133 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 171 | 150 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 189 | 150 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 194 | 153 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 156 | 133 | 0.9 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 49.1, and 43.1% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across County Durham it was 44.1, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C (31.1 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▲49.1 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼43.1% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲69.9% | 64.8% | ||
| ▲64.7% | 40.5% | ||
| ▲4.39 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 136683)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 31.1 | −17 |
| Further education | 54.1 | +16.9 |
| Apprenticeship | 4.9 | +2.2 |
| Employment | 2.7 | −0.6 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 4.4 | −2.7 |
| Activity not captured | 2.7 | +1.1 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42 students | C (31.1) | Average -0.06 | |
| 42 students | C (31.1) | Average -0.06 | |
| 9 students | Dist (34) | Average +0.13 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 53 | C (31.5) | -0.05 |
| 2022/23 | 49 | C- (28.3) | — |
| 2021/22 | 38 | C+ (33.4) | — |
| 2018/19 | 42 | C+ (32) | -0.04 |
| 2017/18 | 86 | C (30.8) | -0.14 |
| 2016/17 | 99 | C- (26) | -0.39 |
| 2015/16 | 103 | C- (28.3) | -0.29 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 57.6 | +0.1 |
| Further and other education | 3.4 | — |
| Further education | 1.7 | — |
| Other education | 1.7 | — |
| Apprenticeship | 6.8 | −3.2 |
| Employment | 25.4 | +2.9 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 6.8 | −0.7 |
Ofsted
Hermitage Academy was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 12 March 2024, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 12 Mar 2024
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Sixth form | Good |
Previously: Inadequate, graded inspection, Oct 2018
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 136683), which Ofsted links to this one.
Before September 2019
Oct 2018Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 136683)
Oct 2007Outstanding
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding 16 to 19 study programmes Good Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 136683)
What parents said
56% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (225 replies, to 6 January 2025).
- Recommend
- 56%
- Replies
- 225
- 23% · 6 Jan 2025
based on the 84% who raised concerns
based on the 47% who had a child bullied
based on 70 parents (31%) with SEND