Seaham High School, Seaham

In its own words: "We believe that the core purpose of our school is to engage the minds of all learners who attend in order to broaden their future by providing the opportunity to maximise life chances. We offer everything needed to succeed, a curriculum that responds to the needs of each and every individual."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include STEM, cooking, sewing, film, book club and homework club.

In 2026, pupils at Seaham High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 47.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.6 in County Durham and 47 across England.

48% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 42% in County Durham and 47% in England.

That is up from 45.8 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.43: pupils made below 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 41.1, against 53 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 11.9 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 27 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Art and Design, Combined Science and History.

For September 2026 entry, 177 families put Seaham High School as their first choice and 244 named it as one of their preferences, for 195 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 Seaham High School are Venerable Bede Church of England Academy (2.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.1); Farringdon Community Academy (3.4 miles, Attainment 8 46.2); Southmoor Academy (3.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46.8); and St Aidan's Catholic Academy (3.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 53.6).

Seaham High School's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Seaham High School is one of 10 schools run by Eden Learning Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 47.3 in 2024/25.

Of the 200 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 78% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 67% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

42% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 2.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Seaham Rail Station, about 1160 metres away (roughly a 15-minute walk).

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Vicarage - Station Road (w-bound), 130 metres away.

In 2024/25, Seaham High School issued 259 suspensions, 23.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Seaham High School are St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Seaham (0.2 miles); Westlea Primary School (0.3 miles); New Seaham Academy (0.3 miles); and Seaview Primary School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.