Hessle High School and Penshurst Primary School
similar schools
Hessle High School and Penshurst Primary School is a converter academy in Hessle for boys and girls aged 3 to 19. It has 1,812 pupils and room for 2,005. About 26 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, about the same as most schools in England. We give it 35 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 18% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2024.
Tranby House, Heads Lane, Hessle, HU13 0JQ01482 648604thehessleacademy.co.ukMr William Nixon executive headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
A shorter visit on 1 May 2024 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.
Results
GCSE results, summer 2025
231 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 | East Riding of Yorkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 231 | 240 | 237 | 175 | 148 | 177 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 44.7 | 42.9 | 43.7 | 48.3 | 47.2 | 48.6 | 44.9 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | -0.60 | -0.28 | -0.22 | +0.03 | +0.21 | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 39% | 40% | 38% | 50% | 45% | 47% | 42% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 63% | 61% | 62% | 70% | 64% | 68% | 63% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 4.04 | 3.96 | 3.97 | 4.39 | 4.05 | 4.06 | 3.97 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 53% | 58% | 57% | 54% | 36% | 24% | 37% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged | 40.7 | 33.7 | 32.1 | 37.9 | 39.3 | 43.6 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged | 46.4 | 46.2 | 47.6 | 51.8 | 50.2 | 50.2 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | 20.8 | 29.0 | 34.3 | 28.9 | 26.0 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers | – | 58.4 | 60.6 | 66.6 | 59.2 | 60.2 | – | – |
Subjects
Results came out for 20 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: Spanish (38% here, 54% across England), Geography (36% here, 51% across England), Physical Education (45% here, 56% across England), History (41% here, 52% 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 | 228 | 13% | 45% | 68% | 53% | 2,065 of 3,211 |
| English Language | 228 | 15% | 52% | 72% | 54% | 1,629 of 3,210 |
| English Literature | 225 | 16% | 53% | 76% | 58% | 1,791 of 3,202 |
| Combined Science | 204 | 4% | 35% | 62% | 36% | 1,499 of 3,084 |
| History | 127 | 13% | 41% | 60% | 52% | 2,194 of 3,126 |
| Spanish | 122 | 5% | 38% | 61% | 54% | 1,532 of 1,941 |
| Geography | 93 | 17% | 36% | 56% | 51% | 2,363 of 3,116 |
| Art and Design | 62 | 45% | 71% | 79% | 58% | 817 of 2,818 |
| Social Studies | 49 | 16% | 51% | 65% | 54% | 591 of 1,043 |
| Physical Education | 47 | 11% | 45% | 62% | 56% | 1,069 of 1,559 |
| Business | 43 | 12% | 40% | 67% | 51% | 1,201 of 1,806 |
| Design & Technology | 30 | 30% | 57% | 77% | 50% | 545 of 1,478 |
| Computer Science | 23 | 13% | 48% | 65% | 56% | 1,127 of 1,861 |
| Physics | 23 | 57% | 100% | 100% | 82% | 311 of 2,546 |
| Biology | 23 | 83% | 100% | 100% | 82% | 86 of 2,570 |
| Chemistry | 23 | 44% | 100% | 100% | 81% | 386 of 2,537 |
| Food Preparation & Nutrition | 18 | 33% | 72% | 78% | 52% | – |
| Other Modern Languages | 12 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 49% | – |
| Religious Studies | 9 | 89% | 100% | 100% | 60% | – |
| Music | 8 | 0% | 63% | 88% | 61% | – |
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.
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
70 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | East Riding of Yorkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 70 | 70 | 68 | 58 | 56 | 50 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 53% | 51% | 43% | 83% | 57% | 56% | 59% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 1% | 3% | 4% | 29% | 13% | 8% | 5% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 103.0 | 103.0 | 101.0 | 111.0 | 106.0 | 105.0 | 104.5 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 100.0 | 104.0 | 100.0 | 109.0 | 103.0 | 103.0 | 103.6 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 102.0 | 104.0 | 101.0 | 112.0 | 108.0 | 106.0 | 103.9 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 67% | 66% | 57% | 97% | 71% | 76% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 64% | 73% | 47% | 93% | 68% | 64% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 69% | 59% | 63% | 90% | 75% | 82% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | -3.5 | +6.2 | +0.2 | +1.0 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | -4.5 | +3.8 | -1.7 | -0.2 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 33% | 18% | 36% | 84% | 36% | 47% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 60% | 67% | 46% | 82% | 74% | 60% | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
A level and sixth-form results, 2025
85 students finished sixth-form courses.
All sixth-form measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students | 85 | 68 | 83 | 50 | 161 | 154 |
| Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry | 32.30 | 32.23 | 30.92 | 37.55 | 28.48 | 32.19 |
| Average A level grade | C+ | C+ | C | B- | C | C+ |
| Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS | 34.57 | 32.19 | 32.92 | 38.89 | 33.40 | 36.35 |
| AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects | 11% | 14% | 6% | 15% | 8% | 17% |
| A level progressA level value added | +0.10 | -0.07 | – | – | -0.33 | -0.20 |
| Applied general courses: points per entry | 28.22 | 27.60 | 26.53 | 30.18 | – | – |
| T levels: points per entry | 26.82 | – | – | 35.00 | – | – |
| Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed | 97% | 98% | 91% | 96% | 93% | 95% |
A level subjects
13 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.
Strongest A levels
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. 5 of the 6 gaps are 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
At the end of primary school, 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
Open to all. There is no entrance test.
About 147 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have grown by 3% since 2021/22, so places are getting harder to come by.
Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to East Riding of Yorkshire council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
What parents say
From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 158 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for secondary schools with enough answers to publish.
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.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 26.8 pupils (England 26.2); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 31.8 (England 28.2).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (69), emotional and mental health (51), Specific learning difficulty (50), Moderate learning difficulty (37), Autistic spectrum disorder (36), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (29).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 1,812 | 1,856 | 1,884 | 1,896 | 1,816 | 1,748 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 26% | 25% | 23% | 24% | 23% | 21% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 7% | 8% | 8% | 9% | 8% | 8% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 13% | 11% | 11% | 12% | 13% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 4% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 2% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 92.7% 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 | 7.3% | 8.8% | 9.1% | 8.8% | 5.5% | 5.3% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 4.7% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.8% | 3.5% | 3.2% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 2.5% | 3.8% | 4.1% | 3.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 20.6% | 24.3% | 24.6% | 25.7% | 13.9% | 14.0% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 11.8 | 13.8 | 13.9 | 6.6 | 5.4 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 6 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | – | – |
What pupils do next
After GCSEs
Where the 237 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 83%, compared with 94% for everyone else.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 92% | 90% | 94% | 95% |
| Education | 81% | 83% | 84% | 88% |
| Apprenticeship | 7% | 5% | 7% | 4% |
| Work | 4% | 1% | 4% | 2% |
| Not in education, work or training | 7% | 8% | 4% | 4% |
After sixth form
Where the 80 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 94%, compared with 89% for everyone else.
Where the ones heading for university went
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 90% | 92% | 92% | – |
| Education | 65% | 58% | 60% | – |
| Apprenticeship | 9% | 8% | 10% | 1% |
| Work | 16% | 26% | 21% | – |
| Not in education, work or training | 6% | 2% | 8% | – |
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Anne's School and Sixth Form College | Council | 0.8 miles | 158 | Good 2023 | – | Compare |
| All Saints Church of England Infant Academy | Academy | 0.9 miles | 319 | Good 2024 | 58 | Compare |
| All Saints Church of England Junior Academy | Academy | 0.9 miles | 375 | Good 2023 | 38 | Compare |
| Tranby | Independent (grammar) | 1.0 miles | 484 | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| St Thomas More Voluntary Catholic Academy | Academy | 1.6 miles | 193 | Report card 2026 | 29 | Compare |
| Christopher Pickering Primary School | Academy | 1.7 miles | 443 | Outstanding 2023 | 98 | Compare |
| Anlaby Primary School | Council | 1.7 miles | 380 | Not inspected | 23 | Compare |
| Swanland Primary School | Academy | 1.8 miles | 418 | No overall grade 2024 | 75 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Hessle High School and Penshurst Primary School with the 49 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 49 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 49 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Hessle High School and Penshurst Primary School, 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lift Kingswood | Academy | 7.2 miles | 1,592 | No overall grade 2024 | 80 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 35 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 35% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 27 to 45. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. 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 | -0.04 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 231 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | in line | +0.02 | Ofsted grade, 2.4 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | below | -0.19 | DfE progress measure; 231 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | in line | -0.01 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | above | +0.04 | 2024/25; 1,698 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | well below | -0.14 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 231 pupils |
| What pupils do next | 5% | in line | +0.01 | 237 pupils |
| What parents say | 5% | well above | +0.07 | Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 158 responses |
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 Hessle High School and Penshurst Primary School a good school?
The figures are weak. Hessle High School and Penshurst Primary School scores 35 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 18% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 27 to 45, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is Hessle High School and Penshurst Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Hessle High School and Penshurst Primary School good at its last full inspection on 1 May 2024.
How good are Hessle High School and Penshurst Primary School's GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 39% 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 44.7, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished most of a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How good are Hessle High School and Penshurst Primary School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 53% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 1% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does Hessle High School and Penshurst Primary School have?
1,812 pupils aged 3 to 19 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 2,005 places, so it is 90% full.
Is Hessle High School and Penshurst Primary School oversubscribed?
Probably not. 147 places were empty in 2024/25 (8% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at Hessle High School and Penshurst Primary School?
Pupils were in school 92.7% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 21% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
What do parents say about Hessle High School and Penshurst Primary School?
99% of the 158 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 98% say their child is happy there. Across England, 77% of parents would recommend their child's school.
How big are the classes at Hessle High School and Penshurst Primary School?
The average class had 20.1 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 20% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
Does Hessle High School and Penshurst Primary School have a sixth form?
Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was C+. 13 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Tranby House, Heads Lane, Hessle, HU13 0JQ
- Telephone
- 01482 648604
- Website
- www.thehessleacademy.co.uk
- Executive Headteacher
- Mr William Nixon
- Type of school
- Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
- Phase
- All-through school, ages 3-19, with nursery, with sixth form
- Gender
- Mixed
- Multi-academy trust
- The Consortium Academy Trust (9 schools)
- Local authority
- East Riding of Yorkshire
- Ward
- Hessle
- Constituency
- Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 17 August 2011 (academy converter)
- URN
- 137306 · LAESTAB 8114053 · UKPRN 10034539
- Formerly
- Hessle Penshurst Primary School, Hessle High School
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.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- 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.
- 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.