Schools by area › County Durham › Tanfield School
Tanfield School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Sponsored academy
Tanfield Lea Road, Stanley DH9 8AY · tanfieldschool.co.uk · 01207 232881
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected Sept 2024
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 57.5
- average Attainment 8 score. County Durham 44.1, England 46
- Last distance offered
- 0.80 mi
- 1.30 km · Year 7, September 2026 entry · County Durham Council
- Demand for places
- 1.3
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 739
- 49 over 690 places · 107%
- Local authority
- County Durham
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 32.1%
- First language not English
- 3%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Eden Learning Trust
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, the last place offered on distance went to a home 0.80 mi (1.30 km) from the school. Source: County Durham Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 201 families put the school first and 149 places were offered; 72% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 149 | 201 | 1.3▲ | 72% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 149 | 185 | 1.2▲ | 77% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 152 | 227 | 1.5▲ | 62% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 154 | 180 | 1.2▲ | 80% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 157 | 155 | 1 | 95% |
Last distance offered
| Year 7 | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 0.80 mi1.30 km | |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 57.5, and 72.2% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across County Durham it was 44.1, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▲57.5 | 46.0 | ||
| ▲72.2% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲85.6% | 64.8% | ||
| ▲52.2% | 40.5% | ||
| ▲4.95 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 114293)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 14.4 | −10.1 |
| Further education | 65.5 | +7 |
| Apprenticeship | 7.2 | +1.8 |
| Employment | 2.9 | +1.5 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 6.5 | −1.7 |
| Activity not captured | 3.6 | +1.6 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Tanfield School on 24 September 2024 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 24 Sept 2024
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Previously: Inadequate, graded inspection, Feb 2019
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 114293), which Ofsted links to this one.
Before September 2019
Feb 2019Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 114293)
Nov 2016Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 114293)
Nov 2013Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 114293)
What parents said
94% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (69 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 94%
- Replies
- 69
- 10% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 75% who raised concerns
based on the 28% who had a child bullied
based on 16 parents (23%) with SEND