Cottingham High School and Sixth Form College Review 2026: A large academy with strong curriculum focus and competitive local demand

Cottingham High School and Sixth Form College sits on a site with an unusually detailed local story. The school opened on 25 April 1955, built on land that previously included Cottingham Grange, and later expanded substantially in the 1970s as numbers grew. Today, its scale gives students breadth, including specialist spaces created through successive building phases, while still aiming for the kind of consistent routines that matter most in day to day learning.

Leadership has also shifted recently. Jay Kerby became headteacher in January 2024, positioning the school for its next stage and reinforcing a clear message about expectations and standards.

For families, two practical headlines stand out. First, admissions are competitive in the Year 7 intake route, with applications exceeding offers in the latest reported cycle. Second, post 16 arrangements have been changing across the wider trust, so families looking at sixth form should confirm the current model and campus options carefully.

This is a mainstream, mixed 11 to 18 academy with a clear community role, but it also draws beyond immediate streets and villages. That mix tends to create a school that feels both local and outward facing, with a student body that is not limited to a single micro catchment. External review evidence describes an inclusive approach and high expectations, which usually translates, in practice, to a culture where routines and learning habits are actively taught rather than assumed.

The way the site has evolved helps explain the feel of the place. The original mid 1950s “Old Block” was built with a steel frame construction typical of the period, with features like parquet flooring and an assembly hall with original elements that have been retained. Later growth brought a science and technical block, a sports hall, and further academic blocks in the late 1970s, which is why the campus reads more like joined eras than a single design moment.

In day to day terms, the school’s public messaging is straightforward, with a repeated emphasis on “Believe, Achieve and Succeed”. It is presented as a practical expectation rather than a slogan for marketing materials, and sits alongside a wider trust narrative focused on shaping positive futures. Parents can reasonably expect a culture that prioritises attendance, punctuality, and classroom consistency, particularly given the trust context and the school’s stated approach to teaching and learning.

At GCSE level, headline performance sits broadly in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), based on the FindMySchool ranking model that uses official outcomes data. Ranked 2,190th in England and 1st in Cottingham for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the picture is one of solid performance rather than a selective or ultra high intensity results culture.

Two specific indicators help anchor that. The school’s Attainment 8 score is 47.4, and its Progress 8 score is +0.09, indicating students make slightly above average progress from their starting points. EBacc average point score is 3.97.

For families weighing the sixth form, the published A level performance data requires careful reading because the local post 16 landscape has been changing. In the last reported A level outcomes set, 29.11% of entries achieved A to B, compared with an England average of 47.2% for A to B (where that benchmark is expressed as A star to B in the same reporting framework). A star grades were recorded at 0% in that dataset, compared with an England average of 23.6% for A star to A. This places the sixth form outcomes in a below average band for England in the FindMySchool A level ranking model. Ranked 2,248th in England and 1st in Cottingham for A level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data).

The implication is not that students cannot do well, but that outcomes may be more variable by subject and cohort size than at large dedicated sixth form providers. For academically ambitious students, it is worth asking detailed questions about subject viability, group sizes, and how teaching expertise is sustained in smaller classes, especially while post 16 provision models evolve.

The school’s teaching narrative is unusually explicit, with named internal approaches such as Aim to Excel (a lesson level recognition routine) and Purple Zone, described as an initiative to develop independent thinking and metacognitive habits without adult assistance. These are the kinds of routines that, when consistently applied, can reduce dependency and improve study discipline, particularly for students who find it difficult to organise themselves across multiple subjects.

External review evidence from the latest inspection cycle highlights detailed curriculum planning across subjects, with deliberate sequencing and emphasis on retained knowledge. It also points to a focus on reading for pleasure, while noting that subject based reading was an area to strengthen. Put simply, the curriculum intent appears clear, and the ongoing work is about ensuring consistency of assessment practice and literacy habits across every department, not just the strongest teams.

The practical implication for families is that students who respond well to structure should find a predictable learning rhythm, while students who need encouragement to read and revise independently may benefit from the school’s deliberate study habits framework, provided it is implemented consistently across their timetable.

Cottingham High School serves a full secondary age range, but post 16 pathways need careful attention because the trust has been reconfiguring sixth form provision across campuses. The Consortium Sixth Form College is described as working across multiple sites to deliver a wide course offer, and parents considering Year 12 should confirm which campus the student would attend, how transport is managed, and whether the course mix aligns with the student’s intended route.

In the most recently reported leavers cohort (2023 to 2024, cohort size 64), 56% progressed to university, 19% entered employment, 5% started apprenticeships, and 2% went to further education. This is a mixed destinations profile, suggesting a student body with varied ambitions, including direct employment routes alongside university progression.

For highly academic pathways, Oxbridge activity is present but small scale in the measured period: two Cambridge applications resulted in one offer and one acceptance, with Oxford figures not reported in that dataset. In a school of this scale, that points to an option for the most academically competitive students rather than a dominant cultural focus across the whole year group.

Entry to Year 7 is coordinated through the local authority route, and the school’s published admissions page provides specific timings for September 2026 entry. The school states that applications can be made between 01 September 2025 and 31 October 2025, with National Offer Day on 02 March 2026. It also lists an open evening for prospective students on 02 October 2025, plus an induction week in early July 2026.

Demand is material. In the most recently reported admissions cycle in the available demand data, there were 247 applications and 150 offers for the Year 7 entry route, which indicates oversubscription. The ratio of first preferences to offers is close to 1, which typically means that many applicants list the school as first choice, and the school is not mainly filling through lower preference allocations. The overall subscription ratio of 1.65 applications per place reinforces that competition is real, even if it is not at the extreme levels seen in selective schools.

For families planning ahead, the best approach is to read the current admissions policy carefully and treat published key dates as non negotiable. Use FindMySchool’s Map Search to understand your practical travel position and, where relevant, how nearby alternatives compare, since schools serving the same corridor can vary sharply in demand from year to year.

Support structures matter most in a large secondary, and the available evidence points to a school that prioritises safety, relationships, and clear expectations. Ofsted’s June 2022 inspection confirmed the school continues to be Good.

The same report noted safeguarding arrangements are effective, and described staff vigilance and prompt action when concerns arise.

Alongside safeguarding, the school’s wider communication places emphasis on calm, settled classrooms and consistent standards. For parents, a sensible question to ask is how pastoral support is delivered day to day, for example through heads of year, tutor structures, and access to wider trust services. The historical narrative shows that a year based pastoral system has been in place for decades, which usually supports continuity and clear accountability for student support.

The school frames enrichment as a core part of the student experience rather than an optional add on, and it publishes an enrichment programme for Autumn 2025 in a structured weekly format. This makes it easier for families to see what is genuinely offered, rather than relying on generic claims.

Several examples stand out because they are specific and repeat through the week. Duke of Edinburgh appears as a structured activity for Year 9 and Year 10, which indicates the school is investing staff time in a programme that builds independence, organisation, and confidence beyond lessons. The implication is meaningful for students who benefit from practical goals and a sense of progress outside assessment grades.

Music also has visible anchors. Orchestra and Cottingham Chorus are both timetabled enrichment options, which suggests that music is supported through organised ensembles, not only individual tuition. For students who thrive in team based creative settings, that can become a significant belonging point, particularly in the early months of Year 7 transition.

Other clubs in the published programme include Environment Club, Art Club, and First Aid Club, alongside a wide spread of sports such as rugby, football, netball, and basketball. The best interpretation is that enrichment is designed to catch different interests, from service and wellbeing skills through to creative and competitive outlets, rather than channelling all students into one dominant pillar.

The school publishes a detailed school day structure for 2025 to 2026. Tutor time begins at 08.35, and the teaching day runs through five periods, ending at 15.05, with an arrival expectation by 08.25 to support punctuality and lining up.

Transport wise, families should treat the school as a Harland Way site serving both Cottingham and a wider area, which usually means a mix of walking, cycling, and bus use depending on the student’s start point. The school maintains separate bus information pages and term date documents, so it is reasonable to expect published guidance for the local context, even though route suitability varies by year and provider.

• Post 16 delivery model is changing. The wider trust consulted on closing sixth form provision on site from September 2025, and official documentation indicates approval for closure. Families considering Year 12 should confirm the current campus arrangements and course delivery in detail.

• Oversubscription is real. The Year 7 entry route shows more applications than offers in the latest reported cycle. Families should plan early, attend open events, and follow local authority deadlines precisely.

• Outcomes vary by phase. GCSE outcomes sit around the middle of England distributions in the FindMySchool model, while A level outcomes in the last reported dataset sit in a lower band for England. This makes subject level questioning especially important for students with specific sixth form ambitions.

• A large school requires proactive engagement. Scale brings choice and breadth, but it also rewards students who can use structures well. Families may want to ask how the school supports organisation and homework habits, particularly in Year 7 and Year 8.

Cottingham High School and Sixth Form College is a sizeable, mixed academy with a clear emphasis on structured teaching habits, consistent routines, and an enrichment offer that includes named ensembles and practical programmes such as Duke of Edinburgh. GCSE outcomes suggest a solid, steady school in England terms, and local demand indicates it is a credible option for families in and around Cottingham. Best suited to students who will respond well to clear expectations and who want a broad mainstream secondary experience with accessible extracurricular routes. The main decision point for older students is post 16, where the trust’s evolving sixth form model makes it essential to verify the current pathway and campus details before committing.