Hermitage Academy
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Hermitage Academy is a converter academy in Chester le Street for boys and girls aged 11 to 18. It has 881 pupils and room for 1,050. About 30 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit more than at most schools. We give it 62 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 88% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2024.
Waldridge Lane, Chester le Street, DH2 3ADhermitageacademy.co.ukMrs Lindsay Maughan headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 12 March 2024, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall.
Results
GCSE results, summer 2025
153 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.
All GCSE measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019† | 2018† | County Durham | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 153 | 183 | 197 | 183 | 191 | 181 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 49.1 | 48.0 | 46.1 | 49.4 | 45.7 | 43.0 | 44.2 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | +0.12 | -0.22 | -0.25 | -0.39 | -0.53 | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 43% | 49% | 42% | 47% | 37% | 29% | 41% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 70% | 70% | 69% | 68% | 64% | 61% | 61% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 4.39 | 4.35 | 3.83 | 4.26 | 3.85 | 3.68 | 3.75 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 65% | 64% | 26% | 34% | 28% | 47% | 32% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged | 43.1 | 41.8 | 35.8 | 36.8 | 40.7 | 32.2 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged | 51.7 | 49.8 | 49.4 | 53.9 | 47.0 | 47.9 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | 28.5 | 29.5 | 32.1 | 31.8 | 21.7 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers | – | 66.6 | 61.5 | 70.8 | 52.2 | 54.4 | – | – |
† These results are for The Hermitage Academy, the school this one replaced in September 2019. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Subjects
Results came out for 19 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.
Strongest subjects
Subjects that did worse than the England average: Physical Education (23% here, 56% across England), Spanish (24% here, 54% across England), Design & Technology (36% here, 50% across England), Geography (40% here, 51% across England).
The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.
Every subject against England, 2025
| Subject | Entries | Grades 9 to 7 | Grades 9 to 5 | Grades 9 to 4 | England 9 to 5 | Rank in England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 153 | 17% | 48% | 73% | 53% | 1,867 of 3,211 |
| English Literature | 153 | 22% | 57% | 78% | 58% | 1,496 of 3,202 |
| English Language | 153 | 21% | 54% | 75% | 54% | 1,456 of 3,210 |
| Combined Science | 126 | 3% | 35% | 60% | 36% | 1,492 of 3,084 |
| History | 89 | 23% | 43% | 54% | 52% | 2,060 of 3,126 |
| Geography | 75 | 17% | 40% | 53% | 51% | 2,113 of 3,116 |
| Business | 68 | 16% | 41% | 54% | 51% | 1,131 of 1,806 |
| Spanish | 67 | 5% | 24% | 48% | 54% | 1,797 of 1,941 |
| Physical Education | 43 | 5% | 23% | 35% | 56% | 1,427 of 1,559 |
| Art and Design | 40 | 25% | 55% | 75% | 58% | 1,597 of 2,818 |
| Design & Technology | 33 | 15% | 36% | 49% | 50% | 1,010 of 1,478 |
| French | 32 | 3% | 50% | 63% | 60% | 1,397 of 1,974 |
| Biology | 27 | 70% | 100% | 100% | 82% | 172 of 2,570 |
| Chemistry | 27 | 82% | 100% | 100% | 81% | 113 of 2,537 |
| Physics | 27 | 67% | 100% | 100% | 82% | 220 of 2,546 |
| Media / Film / TV | 27 | 26% | 56% | 70% | 55% | 276 of 580 |
| Music | 14 | 7% | 71% | 86% | 61% | – |
| Religious Studies | 13 | 62% | 77% | 85% | 60% | – |
| Drama | 11 | 46% | 91% | 100% | 60% | – |
In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.
A level and sixth-form results, 2025
55 students finished sixth-form courses.
All sixth-form measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students | 55 | 63 | 53 | 43 |
| Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry | 31.08 | 31.45 | 28.29 | 33.43 |
| Average A level grade | C | C | C- | C+ |
| Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS | 31.55 | 32.14 | 28.76 | 34.30 |
| AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects | 11% | 7% | 3% | 7% |
| A level progressA level value added | -0.06 | -0.05 | – | – |
| Applied general courses: points per entry | 34.00 | 33.75 | 28.44 | 33.75 |
| Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed | 80% | 90% | 94% | 93% |
A level subjects
12 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.
Every A level subject against England, 2025
A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.
Does every child do well here?
A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. Every gap at this school is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.
At GCSE, 2025
Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.
Getting a place
Admissions policy not published.
396 places were empty (30% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 12% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.
In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.
We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.
How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place (163 offers for 200 places).
| Entry | Places | Applied at all | Got a place | How far the last child lived | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Secondary | 200 | 384 | 163 | – all offered | LA |
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Moderate learning difficulty (66), Autistic spectrum disorder (48), emotional and mental health (40), Physical disability (6).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 881 | 932 | 1,000 | 1,041 | 1,050 | 1,024 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 30% | 30% | 27% | 25% | 24% | 19% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 1% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 14% | 11% | 7% | 10% | 14% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 92.6% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19† | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 7.4% | 8.9% | 8.7% | 9.5% | 5.3% | 4.5% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 3.1% | 4.9% | 6.2% | 6.8% | 3.5% | 3.0% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 4.3% | 4.1% | 2.5% | 2.7% | 1.8% | 1.6% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 20.1% | 23.4% | 27.2% | 29.0% | 13.0% | 9.8% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 30.6 | 16.5 | 8.8 | 6.8 | 2.9 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 12 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 6 | – | – |
† These attendance figures are for The Hermitage Academy, the school this one replaced in September 2019. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
What pupils do next
After GCSEs
Where the 197 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 77%, compared with 93% for everyone else.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 89% | 91% | 93% | 96% |
| Education | 76% | 85% | 88% | 92% |
| Apprenticeship | 9% | 3% | 3% | 2% |
| Work | 5% | 3% | 2% | 2% |
| Not in education, work or training | 9% | 7% | 4% | 3% |
After sixth form
Where the 52 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 75%, compared with 93% for everyone else.
Where the ones heading for university went
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 90% | 90% | 85% |
| Education | 48% | 58% | 66% |
| Apprenticeship | 12% | 10% | 9% |
| Work | 31% | 23% | 11% |
| Not in education, work or training | 8% | 8% | 9% |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park View School | Academy | 0.9 miles | 1,631 | No overall grade 2025 | 47 | Compare |
| Lord Lawson of Beamish Academy | Academy | 3.0 miles | 1,334 | Report card 2025 | 42 | Compare |
| Oxclose Community Academy | Academy | 3.7 miles | 1,029 | No overall grade 2024 | 22 | Compare |
| Framwellgate School Durham | Academy | 3.7 miles | 1,204 | No overall grade 2024 | 28 | Compare |
| St Robert of Newminster Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Washington | Academy | 3.8 miles | 1,527 | Good 2023 | 57 | Compare |
| Biddick Academy | Academy | 4.1 miles | 1,002 | Report card 2026 | 28 | Compare |
| North Durham Academy | Academy | 4.2 miles | 935 | Good 2022 | 19 | Compare |
| St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham | Academy | 4.7 miles | 1,293 | No overall grade 2024 | 92 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Hermitage Academy with the 48 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher
Of those 48 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Hermitage Academy, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belmont Community School | Council | 5.3 miles | 887 | Good 2024 | 71 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 62 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 62% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 51 to 70. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 20% | in line | -0.01 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 153 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | in line | +0.02 | Ofsted grade, 2.5 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | in line | +0.00 | DfE progress measure; 153 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | above | +0.07 | results and attendance rising year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | in line | +0.02 | 2024/25; 898 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | above | +0.08 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 153 pupils |
| What pupils do next | 5% | below | -0.02 | 197 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is Hermitage Academy a good school?
It is about average. Hermitage Academy scores 62 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 88% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 51 to 70, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is Hermitage Academy's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Hermitage Academy good at its last full inspection on 12 March 2024.
How good are Hermitage Academy's GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 43% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 49.1, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished a little ahead of children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How many pupils does Hermitage Academy have?
881 pupils aged 11 to 18 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 1,050 places, so it is 84% full.
Is Hermitage Academy oversubscribed?
Probably not. 396 places were empty in 2024/25 (30% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at Hermitage Academy?
Pupils were in school 92.6% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 20% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Hermitage Academy?
The average class had 21.9 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 3% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Waldridge Lane, Chester le Street, DH2 3AD
- Website
- www.hermitageacademy.co.uk
- Headteacher
- Mrs Lindsay Maughan
- Type of school
- Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
- Phase
- Secondary school, ages 11-18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- None
- Multi-academy trust
- North East Learning Trust (15 schools)
- Local authority
- County Durham
- Ward
- Chester-le-Street South
- Constituency
- North Durham
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 September 2019 (fresh start)
- URN
- 147531 · LAESTAB 8404010 · UKPRN 10084301
- Formerly
- The Hermitage Academy
Recent changes
- New KS4 results for 2024/25
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- GCSE results: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25 final.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- A level subjects: DfE A level and other 16 to 18 results, subject entries and grades, 2024/25.
- Admissions outcomes: County Durham council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2026.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.