Hermitage Academy, Chester le Street

In 2026, pupils at Hermitage Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 50.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.6 in County Durham and 47 across England.

50% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 42% in County Durham and 47% in England.

That is up from 49.1 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.12: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 40.1, against 53.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 13.4 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Business Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 133 families put Hermitage Academy as their first choice and 368 named it as one of their preferences, for 154 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Hermitage Academy are Park View School (0.9 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 46.8); Lord Lawson of Beamish Academy (3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.2); Oxclose Community Academy (3.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.7); and Framwellgate School Durham (3.7 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 48.9).

Hermitage Academy's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Hermitage Academy is one of 15 schools run by North East Learning Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 49.9 in 2024/25.

Of the 183 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 85% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 54% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 59 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 58% went on to university or other higher education, 7% to apprenticeships and 25% into work. 12% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

2.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 146 pupils (16.6%) received SEN support and 14 (1.6%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a moderate learning difficulty.

The nearest railway station is Bullion Lane, about 980 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Whitehill Inn (w-bound), 180 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 226 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in County Durham (84), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Hermitage Academy issued 285 suspensions, 30.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 12 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Hermitage Academy are Bullion Lane Primary School (0.4 miles), Newker Primary School (0.4 miles), Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School (0.8 miles) and Cestria Primary School (0.9 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.