Belmont Community School
Community school · 887 pupils
82% stayed in education · Attainment 8 53.4
University technical college
UTC South Durham
- Pupils on roll
- 421of 600 places
- Free school meals
- 36.5%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 141
- Ofsted
- Good, 5 March 2024Read the Ofsted report
What the data says
Of the 143 pupils who finished Year 11 at UTC South Durham in 2023, 38% stayed on in UTC South Durham’s own sixth form (County Durham average 30%), 36% went to a further education college and 6% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 86 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 20% went to university (County Durham 32%, England 37%), and 7% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally; 26% started an apprenticeship, well above the 7% England average.
GCSE results in 2025 were below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 39.2 against 46.1 across England and 44.1 in County Durham, with 29% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
Computer Science is unusually popular at GCSE: 33% of the year group took it, against 13% of pupils across England.
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in County Durham and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | UTC South Durham | County Durham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 143 | 5,399 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 91% | 89% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 78% | 81% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 38% | 30% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 3% | 4% | 13% |
| — further education college | 36% | 46% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 1% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 6% | 5% | 3% |
| Employment | 6% | 3% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 8% | 8% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 1% | 3% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | UTC South Durham | County Durham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 86 | 4,586 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 76% | 76% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 20% | 32% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 7% | 18% | 19% |
| Further education | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 26% | 11% | 7% |
| Employment | 24% | 28% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 21% | 20% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | UTC South Durham | County Durham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 39.2 | 44.1 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 29% | 42% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 50% | 61% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 0% | 33% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 2.88 | 3.75 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 33% | 32% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 35.3 | 35.6 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 41.2 | 48.1 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 1% | 4% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 139 | 99% | 89% | 2% | 20% | 55% |
| Mathematics | 139 | 99% | 88% | 14% | 22% | 71% |
| English Literature | 134 | 95% | 86% | 1% | 21% | 40% |
| Combined Science | 112 | 79% | 65% | 0% | 9% | 54% |
| Business Studies | 52 | 37% | 18% | 0% | 20% | 27% |
| Computer Science | 46 | 33% | 13% | 20% | 30% | 87% |
| Design and Technology | 36 | 26% | 11% | 17% | 23% | 78% |
| Biology | 26 | 18% | 23% | 8% | 45% | 100% |
| Chemistry | 26 | 18% | 23% | 15% | 47% | 96% |
| Physics | 26 | 18% | 23% | 27% | 46% | 100% |
| Geography | 16 | 11% | 41% | 19% | 25% | 63% |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing Engineering | 135 | 100% | — |
| Electronic / Electrical Engineering | 41 | 100% | — |
| Engineering Studies | 36 | 100% | — |
| Personal Health | 18 | 82% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | UTC South Durham | County Durham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 131 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 22 | 1,658 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C+ | B- | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 31.91 | 35.70 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | C | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 0% | 19% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physics | 14 | 64% | 12% |
| Mathematics | 14 | 64% | 31% |
| Computer Science | 8 | 36% | 5% |
| Chemistry | — | — | 17% |
| Product Design | — | — | 2% |
| Further Mathematics | — | — | 5% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 14 | 64% | — |
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | 11 | 50% | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Engineering Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in County Durham
Bishop Barrington Academy
Academy converter · 599 pupils
81% stayed in education · Attainment 8 39.4
Consett Academy
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 1,493 pupils
86% stayed in education · Attainment 8 44.2
Dene Academy
Academy converter · 638 pupils
78% stayed in education · Attainment 8 41.4
Durham Academy
Academy converter · 405 pupils
67% stayed in education · Attainment 8 37.4
Durham Johnston Comprehensive School
Community school · sixth form · 1,667 pupils
90% stayed in education · Attainment 8 55.2
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.