Hermitage Academy
Waldridge Lane, Chester le Street, DH2 3ADOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Hermitage Academy is a secondary school in Chester le Street for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the 271 schools in County Durham. It ranks 13th of 30 secondary schools in County Durham. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in March 2024.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 12 March 2024, report published 19 May 2024
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Sixth form provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 12 March 2024
There have been significant improvements at this school. The school has high expectations of how pupils should behave and what they can achieve. Pupils behave well in lessons and understand the school's behaviour policy clearly. Pupils earn rewards that are exchanged for items such as stationery. They find this motivating. The school is calm and orderly. The curriculum is well designed and is delivered effectively. Published examination outcomes do not reflect the current quality of education that pupils receive. Pupils in key stages 3 and 4, and students in the sixth form, receive clear careers advice and guidance to enable them to move on to positive destinations. The school provides many opportunities for pupils' personal development. Pupils participate in a wide variety of extra-curricular activities. For example, they take part in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, sporting activities, debate club and drama club. The enthusiasm of pupils in choir rehearsal is palpable. Enrichment activities help to develop pupils' character and social skills. Pupils have many opportunities to contribute to the life of the school. For example, both the main school and sixth form have head pupils. Some pupils, such as the sports leaders, help to run extra- curricular activities. Other pupils support their peers well. These include the reading ambassadors, who use their training well to develop their younger peers' reading fluency.
What the school should improve
- Historically, pupils have not performed as well as they could in external outcomes. This is because previously the curriculum has not been embedded or implemented sufficiently well. The school should continue to enhance and further embed its curriculum plans to ensure that all pupils achieve the results of which they are capable.
- Some parents within the school community are not as well informed about some of the changes that have taken place at the school. This means that relationships between the school and the community are not as strong as they should be. The school should continue its work to communicate effectively with all stakeholders.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
153 pupils in the year group
A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25
42 students
Average A level grade C, England average B-
Pupil numbers and mix
881 pupils on roll, with places for 1,050
Schools near Hermitage Academy
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park View School | 0.9 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding | Attainment 8: 46.4 |
| Lord Lawson of Beamish Academy | 3 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | Attainment 8: 46.6 |
| Oxclose Community Academy | 4 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good | Attainment 8: 41.8 |
| Framwellgate School Durham | 4 miles | Ofsted judgements: Requires improvement to good | Attainment 8: 45.2 |
| St Robert of Newminster Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Washington | 4 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 48.9 |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- NORTH EAST LEARNING TRUST
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Lindsay Maughan
- Address
- Waldridge Lane, Chester le Street, DH2 3AD
- Local authority
- County Durham
- URN
- 147531
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.