Teesdale School and Sixth Form

State school · Mixed · ages 11–18 · with sixth formCounty Durham, Barnard Castle DL12school website

Two in three sixth-formers go on to university — well above the England rate.

Where this school leads
63%

of sixth-form leavers started university · County Durham 32% · England 37% · DfE destination measures, students who left in 2023

Knowledge sphere of Teesdale School and Sixth Form: fields of knowledge mapped by the subjects taken here, by ISCED levelLanguage & Communication · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Language & Communication · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 61%Language & Communication · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 39%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Natural Sciences · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 43%Natural Sciences · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 2%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 42%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Health & Safety · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 45%Health & Safety · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Business & Administration · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 8%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 20%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Transversal Skills · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 37%Transversal Skills · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 54%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%LanguageMathsScienceICTEngineeringHealthBusinessLawSocialArtsTransversalGreen
Ofsted
Standards kept
Places
—
Pupils
684
Free school meals
16.9%

Ofsted: Short inspection, 5 March 2025: the last full grade still stands · report. Places: the last distance at which places were offered is not on file (it comes from County Durham’s allocation statistics). Pupils: of 968 places, including the sixth form. Free school meals: pupils eligible, a measure of family income.

Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Teesdale School (URN 137153, until 1 September 2016).

After Year 11 · age 16

Where do pupils go at 16?

82%stayed in education after Year 11
This school82%
County Durham81%
England86%

DfE Key Stage 4 destination measures · 106 pupils who left Year 11 in 2023

Of the 106 pupils who finished Year 11 at Teesdale School and Sixth Form in 2023, 30% stayed on in Teesdale School and Sixth Form’s own sixth form (County Durham average 30%), 26% went to a further education college and 5% started an apprenticeship.

Stayed in education — counted only if the pupil was still there for two terms of the next year; apprenticeships and jobs are counted the same way.

Full breakdown11
MeasureThis schoolCounty DurhamEngland
Pupils in the cohort1065,399607,348
Any sustained destination96%89%92%
Stayed in education82%81%86%
— school sixth form30%30%34%
— sixth form college25%4%13%
— further education college26%46%37%
— other education1%1%2%
Apprenticeship5%5%3%
Employment9%3%3%
No sustained destination2%8%6%
Destination unknown2%3%3%
After sixth form · age 18

Where do sixth-formers go at 18?

34%went to one of the most selective universities
This school34%
County Durham18%
England19%

DfE 16–18 destination measures · 48 students who left in 2023

63% went to university (England 37%). 8% started an apprenticeship (England 7%). 23% went into work and 2% had no steady place a year on (England 28% and 16%).

Most selective universities — the third of UK universities whose entrants hold the highest grades; the share is of students who completed level 3 qualifications.

Full breakdown7
MeasureThis schoolCounty DurhamEngland
Students in the cohort484,586541,441
Any sustained destination94%76%79%
University (higher education)63%32%37%
— most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students34%18%19%
Further education0%5%5%
Apprenticeship8%11%7%
Employment23%28%28%
No sustained destination2%20%16%
GCSE · Year 11 · 2025

How do GCSE results compare?

49.6Attainment 8 score, out of 90
This school49.6
County Durham44.1
England46.1

Attainment 8 — average GCSE points across eight subjects, English and maths counted twice; grade 5 in everything scores 50.

DfE performance tables 2024/2025 · 120 pupils in Year 11

23% of pupils here are disadvantaged (England 28%). Disadvantaged pupils here scored 44.6 — above disadvantaged pupils across England (34.9).

49% got grade 5 or above in both English and maths (County Durham 42%, England 45%).

Grade 5 — a “strong pass”; grade 4 is a “standard pass”. Progress 8 is not published for 2025: this cohort had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020–21, so there is no baseline.

All GCSE measures10
MeasureThis schoolCounty DurhamEngland
Attainment 8 (average points per pupil)49.644.146.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths49%42%45%
Grade 4 or above in English and maths72%61%65%
Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects63%33%41%
EBacc average point score4.523.754.09
Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort23%32%28%
Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils44.635.634.9
Attainment 8 — other pupils51.048.150.4
Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2)———
English as an additional language2%4%19%
Subjects · 2025

What do pupils study?

40.09%of the Key Stage 3, GCSE and A level curriculum mapped by the subjects taken here

Mapped — the share of the 3,288 learning outcomes the Department for Education sets for these stages that the subjects taken here cover, weighted by how many pupils take each.

DfE subject entries 2025 · curriculum catalogue by sch.today

Food Preparation and Nutrition stands out at GCSE — 28% of the year group took it, against 8% across England. At A level it is English Language: 24% of students (England 4%).

Language & Communication61%
Green & Sustainability54%
Health & Safety45%
Natural Sciences43%
Engineering & Manufacturing42%

Fields of knowledge — twelve fields the curriculum catalogue sorts every learning outcome into; the bars show the GCSE and A level ring.

GCSE subjects18

Entries 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.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEnglandGrades 7–9EnglandGrades 4–9
English Language11999%89%21%20%75%
Mathematics11999%88%26%22%73%
English Literature11999%86%17%21%80%
Combined Science9378%65%2%9%58%
French7663%18%8%29%64%
Geography7260%41%25%25%69%
History6353%41%38%26%71%
Design and Technology3731%11%16%23%73%
Food Preparation and Nutrition3428%8%53%21%88%
Physics2622%23%46%46%100%
Biology2622%23%46%45%100%
Chemistry2622%23%46%47%100%
Religious Studies2319%31%17%32%65%
Physical Education2218%11%5%24%59%
Music1815%5%0%33%78%
Polish22%1%—84%—
Russian22%0%—87%—
Spanish11%19%—27%—
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications5
SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Art and Design60100%—
Health Studies29100%—
Computer Appreciation / Introduction2276%—
Sports / Movement Science1138%—
Small Business Management13%—
A level subjects14

Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Sociology1034%13%
Biology931%20%
English Literature724%11%
English Language724%4%
Mathematics724%31%
History724%13%
Product Design——2%
Chemistry——17%
Geography——10%
Photography——3%
Art and Design——1%
Further Mathematics——5%
Physics——12%
Psychology——23%
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses4
SubjectQualificationEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Health StudiesBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*1034%—
Sports StudiesBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*———
Further MathematicsGCE AS level (All)———
Further MathematicsGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
A level results8
MeasureThis schoolCounty DurhamEngland
Students at the end of 16–18 study54——
— of whom A level students291,658261,341
Average A level gradeC+B-B-
Average points per A level entry34.1435.7035.00
Average grade, best 3 A levelsB-B-B-
AAB or better with two facilitating subjects12%19%18%
Average grade, applied general courses———
Average grade, T levels———
Fields of knowledge, all stages12
Language & Communication70%
Green & Sustainability62%
Health & Safety54%
Natural Sciences54%
Engineering & Manufacturing47%
Transversal Skills46%
Mathematics & Statistics46%
Arts & Humanities27%
Digital & ICT Skills16%
Social & Cultural Skills12%
Law & Public Administration8%
Business & Administration3%

Ideas pupils meet most, weighted by the share of the cohort taking the subjects that teach them:

fraction 15.9ratio 11.1percentage 11.0vocabulary 10.0gradient 10.0translation 8.3reflection 7.8power 7.7grammar 7.2equation 7.2particle model 7.2root 7.2evidence 7.0audience 6.8energy transfer 6.7standard form 6.5area 6.3graph 6.1scale 6.0formulae 6.0impact 6.0presentation 5.9purpose 5.5change of state 5.5

Coverage counts a subject’s outcomes in proportion to the share of the cohort entered for it; Combined Science counts as two thirds of the three separate sciences. Levels follow ISCED 2011 as UNESCO maps it for the UK: Key Stage 3 is ISCED 2; GCSE and A level are both ISCED 3. Methodology: about the data.

Careers

Which jobs use what’s taught here?

12apprenticeship standards closely match the subjects pupils take

A match of what’s taught, not of entry requirements: the standards whose knowledge and skills share the most ideas with the GCSEs and A levels taken here, weighted by how many pupils take each subject.

Level 3 / Level 6 — England’s qualification levels: 3 is A level standard, 4–5 are higher apprenticeships, 6 is a bachelor’s degree.

Skills England apprenticeship standards (Open Government Licence v3.0) · ESCO occupations, © European Union, matched by sch.today · how the match works

Water industry asset maintenance technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses ratio, area, unit conversion from Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and 8 more · jobs: consumer electronics repair technician, industrial electrician, electrician
ScientistLevel 6 degree apprenticeship · health and science · uses conclusion, data interpretation, experimental design from Biology, Mathematics, Sociology and 6 more · jobs: physicist, analytical chemist, geneticist
Process industry manufacturing technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses pressure, conservation of mass, energy change from Biology, Chemistry, Design and Technology and 5 more · jobs: chemical engineering technician, chemical manufacturing quality technician, chemical production manager
More apprenticeships9
Geoscientist (integrated degree)Level 6 degree apprenticeship · health and science · uses data interpretation, climate change, conduct field work from Biology, Chemistry, Geography and 3 more · jobs: geologist, geological engineer, exploration geologist
Science manufacturing technician 2023Level 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses unit conversion, graph, pressure from Biology, Biology, Chemistry and 3 more · jobs: pharmaceutical engineer, chemical manufacturing quality technician, pharmacy technician
Battery manufacturing technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses area, unit conversion, volume from Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and 2 more · jobs: battery test technician
Data technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · digital · uses mean, integer, presentation from Mathematics, Sociology, English Language and 5 more · jobs: data analyst, database administrator, data scientist
Non-destructive technologies technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses ratio, measurement, data interpretation from Mathematics, Biology, Design and Technology and 5 more
Water industry network technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses standard form, unit conversion, volume from Biology, Chemistry, Design and Technology and 4 more · jobs: sewerage network operative, product quality inspector, sewerage maintenance technician
Production assistant - screen and audioLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · creative and design · uses spelling, punctuation, grammar from English Literature, English, Modern Foreign Language · jobs: factory hand, supply chain assistant, management assistant
Aerospace engineerLevel 6 degree apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses equilibrium, friction, kinematics from Mathematics, Chemistry, Mathematics and 2 more · jobs: aerodynamics engineer, aerospace engineer, aircraft maintenance technician
Bulk storage terminal technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses density, graph, unit conversion from Mathematics, Chemistry, Design and Technology and 3 more
Admissions

How do you get a place?

The last distance at which Teesdale School and Sixth Form offered Year 7 places is not yet on file; it comes from County Durham’s allocation statistics.

  1. 31 OctApply to County Durham in Year 6 for a Year 7 place
  2. 1 MarNational Offer Day
  3. Dec–FebYear 11: apply directly to the sixth form; most close applications in these months
County Durham

Compare with nearby schools

Stayed in education at 16 · Attainment 8 · pupils

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.