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Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #11 in Northumberland public Top 30% UK

The Duchess's Community High School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted
personCo Headteacher Alan Rogers & James Wilson
corporate_farePELE TRUST
location_onAlnwick, NE66 2DH
verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2021

trending_up

Attainment 8

43.2

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GCSE Rank

#10 in Northumberland

#2,055 of 3,216 nationally

summarize

The Duchess's Community High School is a Academy converter secondary school in Alnwick, serving ages 11-18. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards.

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School Summary

The Duchess's Community High School is an academy converter in Alnwick, Northumberland, admitting pupils aged 11-18. It has a sixth form offering post-16 education. It is part of PELE TRUST. The school has approximately 1,341 pupils on roll, of whom 18% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 43.2, placing the school #10 in Northumberland and #2,055 of 3,216 nationally. 37.50% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 17.2% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

The sixth form offers 22 A-level subjects. 43.7% of A-level entries were graded A*–B, with 17.1% at A*–A. A-level value added: -0.2 — students made below-average progress at sixth form.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2021. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Requires improvement, behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement, personal development Requires improvement, and leadership and management Requires improvement.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 1.0× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 16.3:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 4 permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 11.4 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25
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Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025
Progress 8 Score

-

Attainment 8

43.2

Grade 5+ E&M

37.50%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)17.2%
Entering EBacc15.00%
EBacc APS3.62
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Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2025
Stayed in Education / Employment

91%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)79%
Apprenticeships6%
Employment6%
Not in Education / Employment (NEET)7%
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Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

A-level results for students who stayed in sixth form at this school. Value added measures how much progress students made relative to their GCSE starting point.

2025
A-Level Value Added

-0.2

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make below-expected progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

C+

Students

75

Grade Breakdown
Achieving A*4.5%
Achieving A*–A17.1%
Achieving A*–B43.7%
VA Banding Below average
Retention rate93.3%
A-level subjects offered22

Source: DfE A Level and Other 16-18 Results

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

2 Evaluations
S5 Inspection EIF
Requires improvement
Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour
Requires improvement
Development
Requires improvement
Leadership
Requires improvement
None EIF
Good
Education
No Judgement
Behaviour
No Judgement
Development
No Judgement
Leadership
Good

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View all schools in Northumberland arrow_forward

Data sources: School information from GIAS (DfE). Ofsted inspection data from Ofsted. Performance data from DfE Performance Tables. Parent View data from Ofsted Parent View. Census data from DfE Explore Education Statistics. Rankings are computed by SchoolsInfo.uk using public DfE data. Data updated annually. Last refresh: March 2026. How we calculate rankings →

Disclaimer: The information on this page is provided for general reference purposes only and is sourced from publicly available government datasets. SchoolsInfo.uk is an independent website and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any school, local authority, Ofsted, or the Department for Education. Data may not reflect the current position of the school — always verify directly with the school or the relevant official body before making any decisions. School performance data relates to historical cohorts and may not be representative of current or future results. Rankings and composite scores are compiled by SchoolsInfo.uk and do not constitute an official government assessment. Nothing on this page constitutes professional advice.

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