English Martyrs Catholic School and Sixth Form College
Hartlepool, TS25 4HA · Hartlepool · secondary school
Check the area around this school
3rd of 5 secondary schools in Hartlepool 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 — 5.0/10 against 568 of them, against 3.2/10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 43.6 · 46 | 46% | 2.14 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.57 · 13 | 38% | 0.49 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 44.2 · 40 | 15% | 0.62 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
English Martyrs Catholic School and Sixth Form College overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 33.8% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 41.2, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 in 2023/24 was -0.57, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (3.3 out of 10 against similar schools, 2.1 out of 10 against all schools).
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join the Dungeons & Dragons Club, School Newspaper and Journalism Club, KS3 History Club, KS3 Languagenut, Key Stage 3 English Club, SVP, Exploring Faith, Youth voices, and Choir.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,420 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,647. 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 school support pupils to close the gap between their current Attainment 8 and the national median? What specific strategies are used to improve Progress 8 scores for students from similar backgrounds? How are the named clubs integrated into the weekly timetable for Key Stage 3 students?
What Ofsted said about English Martyrs Catholic School and Sixth Form College
Overview
The report describes a school that is "calm and orderly" where most pupils show respect and feel safe. While the curriculum is "broad and ambitious" with "Good" personal development and sixth-form provision, the quality of education, behaviour, and leadership are judged as "Requires improvement" due to gaps in knowledge, high absence rates, and disruptive behaviour among a minority of pupils.
Strengths
- The curriculum is "well sequenced" and provides a "strong foundation" for later studies, with vocational courses allowing students to "achieve highly".
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) "access the same curriculum as their peers" and make "appropriate progress".
- The school "prioritises reading," helping pupils become "confident and fluent readers" while promoting a "love of reading".
- Personal development is "central to the school’s ethos," offering high-quality careers education and teaching on relationships and safety.
- The trust has acted with "appropriate urgency," providing "substantial and additional leadership capacity" that is beginning to improve provision.
Areas to improve
- Teachers in key stages 3 and 4 must check pupils’ understanding more systematically and use questioning better to "deepen and extend pupils’ knowledge".
- The school must sustain its rigorous approach to reducing "high levels of absence," particularly for disadvantaged pupils who are missing too much education.
- Support is needed for the "significant minority of pupils" whose "persistently disruptive" behaviour outside lessons leads to missed education and disrupts others.
Safeguarding
The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 42.4 |
| 2024/25 | 41.2 |
| 2025/26 | 44.2 |
| 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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