Best Schools in South Shields

How many schools are there in South Shields?

South Shields has 29 open schools: 21 state primary, 3 state secondary or all-through, 3 special and 2 others.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in South Shields are rated Outstanding?

3 schools in South Shields were rated Outstanding at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection: St Bede's Catholic Primary School, South Shields; St Wilfrid's RC College; and Epinay Business and Enterprise School. Counting Good as well, 96% of the 25 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 Bede's Catholic Primary School, South ShieldsSt Wilfrid's RC CollegeEpinay Business and Enterprise School

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in South Shields get the best GCSE results?

Of the 6 schools in South Shields with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at St Wilfrid's RC College, with an Attainment 8 score of 46 and 42% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; Harton Academy, with an Attainment 8 score of 43.2 and 42% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and Mortimer Community College, with an Attainment 8 score of 40.7 and 39% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

St Wilfrid's RC CollegeHarton AcademyMortimer Community College

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in South Shields have the best SATs results?

Of the 18 primary schools in South Shields with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at Stanhope Primary School (97% in reading, 97% in maths); Biddick Hall Junior School (89% in reading, 100% in maths); and SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School, South Shields (87% 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.

Stanhope Primary SchoolBiddick Hall Junior SchoolSS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School, South Shields

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in South Shields?

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

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in South Shields have catchment areas?

Most state schools in South Shields have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, South Tyneside 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 South Shields?

Apply to South Tyneside 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.