Best Schools in Peterlee

How many schools are there in Peterlee?

Peterlee has 20 open schools: 12 state primary, 5 state secondary or all-through and 3 others.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Peterlee are rated Outstanding?

3 schools in Peterlee were rated Outstanding at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection: The Academy at Shotton Hall, Horden Nursery School and Rosemary Lane Nursery School. Counting Good as well, 100% of the 17 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.

The Academy at Shotton HallHorden Nursery SchoolRosemary Lane Nursery School

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Peterlee get the best GCSE results?

Of the 5 schools in Peterlee with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at The Academy at Shotton Hall, with an Attainment 8 score of 55 and 56% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; Easington Academy, with an Attainment 8 score of 51 and 55% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College, with an Attainment 8 score of 42.1 and 40% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

The Academy at Shotton HallEasington AcademySt Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Peterlee have the best SATs results?

Of the 10 primary schools in Peterlee with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School (84% in reading, 91% in maths); Easington Colliery Primary School (81% in reading, 85% in maths); and Easington CofE Primary School (70% in reading, 90% 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.

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary SchoolEasington Colliery Primary SchoolEasington CofE Primary School

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Peterlee?

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

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Peterlee have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Peterlee have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, County Durham 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 Peterlee?

Apply to County Durham 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.