Belmont Community School
Durham, DH1 2AG · County Durham · secondary school
Check the area around this school
11th of 30 secondary schools in County Durham we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 7.7/10 against 678 of them, against 6.0/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 48.2 · 59 | 30% | 1.76 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.15 · 60 | 25% | 1.51 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 48.6 · 63 | 10% | 0.63 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Belmont Community School overview
How it's doing
Ofsted rated the school Good in May 2024. In 2024/25, 59.2% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 53.4, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.15 in 2023/24, indicating better progress than pupils nationally starting from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (8.8 out of 10 against similar schools, 7.3 out of 10 against all schools).
Beyond the classroom
Pupils participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and the Northern Counties Young Writers Competition. They compete in the European Gymnastics Championships and attend Performing Arts Festivals. Trips include Italy, Shetland, Barcelona, Belfast, France, Germany, Oxford and Cambridge Universities, and the Royal College of Music.
Getting in
The published school roll is 887 pupils against a stated capacity of 900. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the curriculum support pupils aiming for university-level destinations like Oxford or Cambridge? What specific support is available for students participating in high-level competitions such as the European Gymnastics
What Ofsted said about Belmont Community School
Overview
Belmont Community School continues to be a good school, providing a high-quality education where pupils benefit from an ambitious curriculum and warm relationships. The inspection confirms that leaders are unified in their vision, ensuring pupils are well-prepared for adult life through effective teaching and strong support for those with special educational needs.
Strengths
- The ‘Belmont Way’ fosters a harmonious environment where pupils are courteous, respectful, and rise to high expectations.
- Teaching is consistently effective, with teachers demonstrating secure subject knowledge and using assessment to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge.
- The curriculum is clearly sequenced and ambitious, enabling pupils to understand challenging concepts and apply their learning, such as in mathematics and English.
- Reading is clearly prioritised, with early identification of struggling readers and dedicated lessons promoting reading for pleasure.
- Leaders support staff well-being and workload, while governors are highly skilled and fulfil their duties effectively.
Areas to improve
- The school should further develop its work to engage pupils who are regularly absent, as persistent absence leads to significant gaps in knowledge.
- The school should ensure pupils are given appropriate opportunities to be increasingly independent so they can self-manage their learning in lessons.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 48.1 |
| 2024/25 | 53.4 |
| 2025/26 | 48.6 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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