Seaham High School

Academy · Secondary, ages 11 to 16 · Mixed

Part of EDEN LEARNING TRUST

Station Road, Seaham, SR7 0BH

0191 516 1600 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 3 July 2023
Grade 5 or above in English and maths40%England 45% · 2024/25
18th highest of 30 state secondary schools in County Durham.
Higher than 41% of 3,259 state secondary schools in England.
Pupils1,095Room for 1,200 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 1,044 in 2019, 1,145 in 2021, 1,137 in 2022, 1,158 in 2023, 1,122 in 2024, 1,123 in 2025, 1,095 in 2026. Across England, secondary state school pupil numbers were up 10% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place0.9177 for 195 places, September 2026
22nd highest of 29 state secondary schools in County Durham.
Higher than 40% of 3,219 state secondary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 3 July 2023.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
SafeguardingEffective

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

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Results

GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25

219 pupils in this year group.

40% — 1 points below the County Durham average, and 5 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolCounty DurhamEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 40% 42% 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. 45.8 44.1 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. 3.8 3.8 4.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
30% 40% 50% 60% England 2022/23: 45%England 2023/24: 46%England 2024/25: 45% This school 2022/23: 39%This school 2023/24: 36%This school 2024/25: 40% This school England 45% 2022/23 39% 2023/24 36% 2024/25 40%

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.

220 pupils in this year group.

89% — about the same as the County Durham average, and 3 points below the England average.

Where pupils went after Year 11
This school 20%64%
England 34%13%37%
MeasureThis schoolCounty DurhamEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 89% 89% 92%
School sixth form 20% 30% 34%
Sixth form college 0% 4% 13%
Further education college 64% 46% 37%
Apprenticeship 2% 5% 3%
Work 4% 3% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
86%89%

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 County Durham. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

How hard is it to get in?

For the September 2026 intake there were about one first-choice application for every place.

Places offered195
Families who put it first177
Of those, offered a place177 (100%)
Families who listed it at all244

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.0 · 2025: 1.0 · 2026: 0.9

This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.

Admissions dates and schools in County Durham

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolCounty DurhamEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
8th highest of 31 state secondary schools in County Durham.
Higher than 80% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
42.1% 32.3%* 28.9%
With an education, health and care plan
4th highest of 31 state secondary schools in County Durham.
Higher than 69% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
3.8% 2.4%* 3.1%
Receiving special educational needs support
11th highest of 31 state secondary schools in County Durham.
Higher than 73% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
17.0% 13.6%* 13.4%
English as an additional language
Joint 23rd highest of 31 state secondary schools in County Durham.
Higher than 6% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
2.0% 4.1%* 19.2%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
Joint 13th lowest of 30 state secondary schools in County Durham.
Lower than 46% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
8.6% 8.7%* 8.4%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
13th lowest of 30 state secondary schools in County Durham.
Lower than 43% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
24.8% 25.0%* 23.4%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
22nd lowest of 31 state secondary schools in County Durham.
Lower than 32% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
23.1 18.6 21.2
Pupils suspended at least once
26th lowest of 31 state secondary schools in County Durham.
Lower than 24% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
10.7% 7.0% 7.3%
Pupils permanently excluded4 pupils 0.36% 0.46% 0.23%
Pupils per teacher
Joint 21st highest of 31 state secondary schools in County Durham.
Higher than 30% of 3,442 state secondary schools in England.
15.9 16.5 16.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
Joint 26th highest of 31 state secondary schools in County Durham.
Higher than 37% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
11.3 12.7 11.8
Teachers who left during the year
26th highest of 31 state secondary schools in County Durham.
Higher than 9% of 3,430 state secondary schools in England.
6.3% 10.4%* 14.2%*

Comparisons are with secondary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * 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.

Nearby secondary schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is Seaham High School's Ofsted rating?

Seaham High School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 3 July 2023.

How did Seaham High School do in its GCSEs?

In 2024/25, 40% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 5 points below the England average of 45%.

Is Seaham High School oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 177 families put Seaham High School as their first choice for 195 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 177 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.