Best Schools in Hartlepool

How many schools are there in Hartlepool?

Hartlepool has 47 open schools: 34 state primary, 5 state secondary or all-through, 6 special and 2 others.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Hartlepool are rated Outstanding?

4 schools in Hartlepool were rated Outstanding at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection: St John Vianney Catholic Primary School, Hartlepool; Stranton Primary School; The Horizon School, Hartlepool; and Dyke House Sports and Technology College. Counting Good as well, 90% of the 31 graded schools here are rated Good or better. Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall grades in September 2024, so these are the grades from each school's last full inspection.

St John Vianney Catholic Primary School, HartlepoolStranton Primary SchoolThe Horizon School, HartlepoolDyke House Sports and Technology College

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Hartlepool get the best GCSE results?

Of the 5 schools in Hartlepool with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at Dyke House Sports and Technology College, with an Attainment 8 score of 46.3 and 54% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; Manor Community Academy, with an Attainment 8 score of 44.3 and 51% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and English Martyrs Catholic School and Sixth Form College, with an Attainment 8 score of 44.2 and 44% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

Dyke House Sports and Technology CollegeManor Community AcademyEnglish Martyrs Catholic School and Sixth Form College

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Hartlepool have the best SATs results?

Of the 30 primary schools in Hartlepool with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at Greatham CofE Primary School (100% in reading, 100% in maths); St Peter's Elwick Church of England Primary School (100% in reading, 100% in maths); and Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School (90% in reading, 93% in maths). Small schools can swing a long way from one year to the next, because each pupil is a large share of the result.

Greatham CofE Primary SchoolSt Peter's Elwick Church of England Primary SchoolHoly Trinity Church of England Primary School

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Hartlepool?

No. None of the state secondary schools in Hartlepool selects pupils by ability, so every state secondary here is comprehensive.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Hartlepool have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Hartlepool have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, the council allocates places on its published criteria - usually looked-after children first, then siblings, then home-to-school distance - so the practical cut-off moves each year. Each school's page here shows an estimate of its catchment radius.

How do I apply for a school place in Hartlepool?

Apply to your council - Hartlepool or County Durham, depending on your address - through its coordinated admissions process, even for academies and faith schools. In England the closing date is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.