Laurence Jackson School Review 2026: A modern 11 to 16 with clear routines and improving momentum

For GCSE outcomes, the school is ranked 2,139th in England and 1st in Guisborough (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This places performance broadly in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

The Attainment 8 score is 45. Progress 8 is -0.17, which indicates students make slightly below average progress from their starting points compared with similar pupils nationally.

The English Baccalaureate profile is a key feature of the results picture. The average EBacc APS is 3.82, compared with an England average of 4.08. A smaller proportion of pupils achieve grade 5 or above across the EBacc than many families might expect, with 15.9% recorded for that measure. For parents, the implication is to look closely at curriculum pathways and option guidance in Key Stage 4, especially if you have a child who is highly academic and aiming for a strongly academic GCSE mix.

The curriculum narrative stresses ambition and breadth, alongside a deliberate emphasis on character development. What brings this to life is the level of documentation the school publishes by subject. For example, mathematics curriculum overviews for Years 7 to 11 describe sequenced learning with deliberate interleaving of prior knowledge and skills, and a focus on fluency, reasoning, and problem-solving.

That combination, sequencing plus retrieval, tends to work well for students who need structure and frequent reinforcement. It is also a helpful signal for families who want to understand how gaps are addressed, particularly where Key Stage 2 disruption has left uneven starting points across a cohort.

The school also places a visible emphasis on Learning for Life and wider personal development themes. Materials describing Learning for Life set out coverage across rights and responsibilities, equality, relationships and sex education, safety online and offline, health and wellbeing, and life beyond school. The practical implication is that the school appears to be trying to make personal development explicit and planned, rather than relying on assemblies alone.

Where Students Go Next

As an 11 to 16 school, the main destination story is post-16 transition. The school publishes destination dashboards, which provide a useful window into how Year 11 leavers typically move into local sixth forms, further education colleges, and training routes.

For 2021 to 2022 destinations, the dashboard headline states that the most common pathway was further education college (123 students, 49.3%), followed by sixth form college (67 students, 26.9%). The same dashboard notes that Middlesbrough College and Prior Pursglove College were among the most common providers for that cohort, with additional students progressing to Redcar and Cleveland College, Northern School of Art, and TTE. For families, the implication is straightforward: if your child already has a clear interest in a vocational route, a creative specialism, or an apprenticeship pathway, the school’s guidance and local provider links should feel directly relevant.

The school’s Year 11 guidance also emphasises having a plan and a back-up plan, and outlines that providers often encourage applications before Christmas, with some deadlines set earlier where places are limited. This is sensible advice, particularly for popular technical routes where capacity can fill quickly.

Careers education appears to be treated as a programme rather than a series of one-off events. The school states it achieved the Quality in Careers Standard Award in June 2025, and it publishes a careers calendar and a five-year journey. There is also a stated Year 10 work experience week scheduled for 6 to 10 July 2026.

Year 7 admissions are coordinated through Redcar and Cleveland’s secondary transfer process. For September 2026 entry, the local authority states that the online portal opens on 5 September 2025, with the closing date for applications on 31 October 2025. National offer day is listed as 1 March 2026.

The school publishes admissions arrangements and outlines that where applications exceed places, oversubscription criteria are applied, with statutory priority for children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, and looked after or previously looked after children. This is a standard framework, but it still matters to read the detail if you are close to the boundary for a place, or if you have a sibling link that may affect priority.

For parents who are using distance as part of their decision-making, a practical approach is to combine the local authority admissions guidance with the FindMySchoolMap Search to understand how your home compares with typical allocations in recent years, then treat the result as an indicator rather than a guarantee.

Transition into Year 7 is treated as a process. The school states it runs a transition week for Year 6 pupils who have secured a place, focused on familiarity with routines and building confidence for September.

Pastoral organisation is clearly set out. Students sit within form groups, with form tutors acting as the daily point of contact and linking with subject teachers, attendance tracking, and behaviour support. Year leaders and pastoral leaders are identified by key stage, and the school also lists behaviour support assistants within the pastoral structure. For families, the implication is that responsibility is distributed, and you should be able to identify who owns the day-to-day picture for your child.

The school’s ethos and expectations content also signals an approach that relies on consistency. A consistent framework can be reassuring for students who need boundaries; it can also feel strict for those who prefer flexibility. It is worth probing how sanctions are applied, how restorative work is handled after incidents, and how the school supports students whose behaviour is affected by additional needs.

There is also evidence of targeted support spaces. The 2024 inspection report references bespoke provision to support vulnerable pupils and those who need to improve behaviour, attendance, or attitudes to learning, and names an area called Evolve as a calm learning environment used to access work. For parents, the key question is how students access this support, how progress back into mainstream lessons is managed, and how parents are kept informed.

Extracurricular provision is extensive and well documented, which is not always the case for state secondaries. The school publishes termly club timetables and enrichment materials that list specific options rather than generic categories.

On the performing arts side, there is an identifiable music strand, including School Choir, Orchestra, and Stage Band. For students who engage best when they are part of an ensemble, this is the kind of detail that can make school feel like more than lessons and homework. Drama Club is also listed, and the enrichment materials reference production rehearsals for Oliver, which points to larger-scale performance opportunities that require sustained commitment over a term.

Sport and activity options appear deliberately varied. The club timetable references use of an Astro pitch, trampolining in the sports hall, badminton, football, and access to a fitness suite. There are also more distinctive activities, including Rock Climbing Club and a Warhammer Club, which is a useful signal that the programme is not solely sport-led and includes spaces for hobby-based communities.

Academic and study support is also prominent. Homework Club appears as a regular offer across year groups, and there are subject support sessions such as Key Stage 4 maths support. For families, the implication is that the school is trying to make independent study habits easier to build, and that students who benefit from structured after-school time have an obvious route.

Beyond clubs, the school promotes enrichment frameworks such as the Scholar Award and Passport for Life, presented as structured journeys rather than ad hoc opportunities. This style of programme tends to suit students who like working towards milestones and recognition, especially where motivation increases when achievement is visible.

The published school day starts with gates opening at 8.10am, students expected on site by 8.20am, and formal register and form time at 8.30am. The day ends at 2.50pm, with enrichment activities beginning after the end of the taught day.

Term dates and professional development days are published on the school calendar, including dates across the 2025 to 2026 academic year.

For transport, the school states it offers a South Middlesbrough transport service for families living in certain postcodes, with places allocated annually. Families should check eligibility early, particularly if transport availability affects your choice.

• Performance is mid-pack nationally. The GCSE ranking sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England, and Progress 8 is slightly below average. This may be a good fit for many learners, but families seeking a highly academic, EBacc-heavy environment should look closely at subject pathways and stretch provision.

• A structured approach can feel strict. Expectations on behaviour, organisation, and mobile phones are explicit. This often helps focus and consistency, but it may not suit every child’s temperament.

• The day finishes relatively early. The formal end is 2.50pm, with enrichment after school. Consider whether your child will use clubs or study support, or whether the earlier finish creates supervision challenges for your household.

• Post-16 choices require early planning. The school’s guidance encourages applications ahead of Christmas and notes that some providers set early deadlines. If your child is considering technical routes or popular providers, planning needs to start in Year 11 rather than after GCSE exams.

This is a large 11 to 16 comprehensive with a strong emphasis on routines, behaviour expectations, and personal development language that runs across school life. The modern site, extensive documented enrichment, and clear careers pathways are meaningful strengths, especially for students who respond well to structure and who benefit from having multiple routes to belonging, sport, music, clubs, or leadership.

Best suited to families looking for a mainstream local secondary with clear expectations and a practical approach to post-16 transition. The main question to resolve is fit: whether your child will thrive within a consistently structured culture, and whether your priorities align with the school’s current outcomes profile.