SchoolScoresHill Top School
Special school · Secondary, ages 11 to 19 · Mixed · Sixth form
Wealcroft, Felling, Gateshead, NE10 8LT
0191 469 2462 · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 14 October 2014.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Outcomes for pupils | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Sixth form | Good |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 14 February 2024: Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
Results
GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25
21 pupils in this year group.
| Measure | This school | Gateshead | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | Not published | 50% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. | Not published | 47 | 46.1 |
| EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. | Not published | 4.2 | 4.1 |
"Not published": No pupils were entered.
Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
| 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|
| 5% | Not published | Not published |
Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.
Source: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.
After Year 11
Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.
20 pupils in this year group.
100% — 9 points above the Gateshead average, and 8 points above the England average.
| Measure | This school | Gateshead | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. | 100% | 91% | 92% |
| School sixth form | 0% | 40% | 34% |
| Sixth form college | 0% | – | 13% |
| Further education college | 45% | 42% | 37% |
| Apprenticeship | 0% | 4% | 3% |
| Work | 5% | 3% | 3% |
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time
| 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| 96% | 100% |
Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Gateshead. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.
Pupils, staff and SEND
This is a special school for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Places are arranged through the council's SEND team, not the normal admissions round. It caters for: Autism.
| Pupils | This school | Gateshead | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years | 59.2% | 57.7%* | 51.9% |
| With an education, health and care plan | 100.0% | 99.8%* | 99.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support | 0.0% | 0.3%* | 0.5% |
| English as an additional language | 12.6% | 8.2%* | 14.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) | 7.7% | 9.7%* | 12.8% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) | 20.8% | 25.6%* | 35.3% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.0 | 11.1 | 12.3 |
| Pupils suspended at least once | 0.0% | 4.3% | 5.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.08% |
| Pupils per teacher | 6.0 | 6.3 | 6.6 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) | 2.3 | 2.4 | 2.3 |
| Teachers who left during the year | 9.3% | 10.4%* | 14.3%* |
Comparisons are with special schools. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).
Nearby special schools
- Furrowfield School 0.7 miles · Ofsted: Good (2013), confirmed 2022 · 0% grade 5+ English and maths
- The Cedars Academy 1.4 miles · Ofsted: Good (2017), confirmed 2023 · 4% grade 5+ English and maths
- Dryden School 1.7 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2015), confirmed 2025
- Gibside School 2.1 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2012), confirmed 2022 · 0% met expected standard (KS2)
- Haskel School 2.5 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Outstanding (2024)
- Eslington Primary School 3.0 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2017), confirmed 2022 · 6% met expected standard (KS2)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Hill Top School's Ofsted rating?
Hill Top School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 14 October 2014. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 14 February 2024, Ofsted found the school was still Good.
How did Hill Top School do in its GCSEs?
DfE didn't publish this figure for 2024/25. No pupils were entered.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 130942.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Results: DfE school performance tables, GCSEs 2024/25, After Year 11 2024/25.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.