South Hunsley School and Sixth Form College Review 2026: Large, high-expectations 11 to 18 school with a standout sixth form

A big secondary that tries hard not to feel impersonal, South Hunsley’s daily rhythm is shaped by clear routines, a strong house structure, and facilities that lean into sport and whole-school events. Six houses, Draco, Orion, Hercules, Pegasus, Indus and Vela, are used as the main organising unit for rewards, identity, and pastoral oversight, which helps a large roll feel more navigable for students and parents.

Leadership is relatively new. Ms Michaela Blackledge took up the headteacher post on 01 September 2023, following the planned departure of Richard Williman.

The most recent Ofsted inspection took place on 19 and 20 March 2024 and judged the school Good overall, with Outstanding for personal development and Outstanding for sixth form provision.

Scale is the first defining feature here, but the student experience is designed to feel segmented rather than sprawling. The house system is one of the main mechanisms. It is not just for sports day, it sits behind rewards and daily community identity, and it has been structured specifically to create smaller communities inside a growing school.

The school’s published vision and values focus on learning, “limitless potential”, and community, which shows up in the way it frames expectations and enrichment rather than in marketing gloss. It also uses the Inspire • Aspire strapline consistently across trust and school materials, which is a simple way of communicating ambition without narrowing it to exam outcomes.

Ofsted’s 2024 report gives helpful texture about day-to-day culture at a point in time. Students are described as behaving well in lessons and regulating behaviour around site, with bullying reported as infrequent and addressed when it occurs. The same report also flags that a small minority’s behaviour can make some students feel uncomfortable, and that leaders are working on it. Those two points together matter for families weighing fit: the baseline is orderly, but the experience can still vary depending on peer group and year.

Pastoral structures are described clearly in the school’s secondary prospectus. Each year group has both a Head of Year and an Assistant Head of Year jointly leading, with staff available through the day as first points of contact. In a large setting, that clarity can reduce friction when something goes wrong.

Performance sits in the “solid, middle-of-the-pack nationally, strong locally” space, which can be a useful shorthand for parents comparing options across East Riding. On GCSE outcomes, the school ranks 1,195th in England and 1st locally in North Ferriby in the FindMySchool ranking (a proprietary ranking based on official data). This places performance in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

The GCSE profile also includes a strong Progress 8 figure. A Progress 8 score of 0.38 indicates students make above-average progress from their starting points, which often matters more than raw grades in a large, comprehensive intake. Attainment 8 is listed as 51.4, and the EBacc average points score is 4.65.

The EBacc entry and success picture is more mixed. The percentage achieving grades 5 or above in the EBacc is 23.5. That is a useful data point to weigh if your child is strongly academic and likely to pursue a heavily academic Key Stage 4 route.

Sixth form outcomes show a similar overall pattern. On A-level outcomes, the school ranks 1,166th in England and 1st locally in North Ferriby in the FindMySchool ranking (a proprietary ranking based on official data). This sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

The A-level grade profile is 6.18% at A*, 17.58% at A, and 48.46% at A* to B. That A* to B figure is slightly above the England average figure shown alongside it (0.472).

Practical implication for families: this is not a results-only school, but outcomes are consistent with a setting that expects students to work hard, and the sixth form is explicitly recognised as a strength in external evaluation.

Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view these results side-by-side, especially useful when nearby schools have similar intakes but different progress profiles.

The curriculum narrative is detailed and quite “teacher-led” in the best sense: sequencing, subject vocabulary, regular checking of understanding, and building knowledge over time are repeatedly emphasised. Ofsted’s 2024 report describes a well-developed, research-informed curriculum and strong teacher subject knowledge, with frequent assessment used to identify misconceptions and move learning on.

At Key Stage 4, subject choice is broad and includes a mix of GCSE and applied pathways. The school’s published prospectus lists options such as Computer Science, Media Studies, Photography, Dance, Engineering, Digital Information Technology, and Further Maths alongside the more traditional humanities and languages. For many students, that blend is the point: it keeps post-16 routes open while still allowing practical or technical strengths to count.

The sixth form positioning is similarly practical. The prospectus describes a dedicated Sixth Form Centre with social and study spaces, plus a Learning Resource Centre, with facilities open throughout the day. That can make a real difference to work habits, particularly for students who struggle to study effectively at home.

One distinctive element is the school’s higher education preparation infrastructure. The sixth form prospectus describes South Hunsley as the hub lead for the Hull and East Riding Consortium, working with the University of Cambridge and its colleges on a programme designed to build confidence and preparedness for higher education applications in Year 13. That does not guarantee elite outcomes, but it is a meaningful signal of structured preparation for competitive routes.

Where Students Go Next

The sixth form is large, and the school says it typically welcomes around 230 to 250 new students into Year 12 each year, which suggests it is not only serving internal progression.

For destinations, the most recent published cohort data shows a broad mix. For the 2023 to 2024 leavers cohort (size 197), 58% progressed to university, 12% to apprenticeships, 17% to employment, and 1% to further education. This is a balanced profile for a large state sixth form, and it is often reassuring for families who want clear “Plan A, Plan B, Plan C” pathways rather than a single definition of success.

Oxbridge outcomes are present but selective. In the most recent dataset period, 10 students applied to Oxford or Cambridge, and one student secured a place, at Cambridge. That level of success is not the headline of the school, but it does show that the academic pathway exists for the small minority who pursue it seriously.

The more important practical point is that careers and destinations work is embedded rather than bolted on. Ofsted’s 2024 report describes careers being integrated through the curriculum and students encountering employers and pathways through lessons and structured activity. That tends to help students who are capable but uncertain, which is common in large mixed settings.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through East Riding of Yorkshire’s admissions process, with South Hunsley operating a published admission number of 350 places for Year 7 entry in the 2026 to 2027 school year.

Demand is strong. In the most recent admissions data provided, there were 485 applications for 339 offers, with the route recorded as oversubscribed and a subscription proportion of 1.43 applications per place offered. First-preference demand is also high, with a first-preference ratio close to offers (1.01). The implication is straightforward: for many families this is a preferred local choice rather than a fallback.

The admissions policy document published by the trust sets out the timing for the 2026 entry round clearly. Applications open by 12 September 2025, and the closing date for on-time Year 7 applications is 31 October 2025. National Offer Day is 02 March 2026, and the deadline for return of appeal papers for on-time Year 7 applicants is 17 April 2026.

The same policy confirms the oversubscription structure includes catchment priority and named feeder primaries for South Hunsley, including Brough Primary School, Elloughton Primary School, Hunsley Primary School, North Cave CE Primary School, North Ferriby CE VC Primary School, South Cave CE VC Primary School, Swanland Primary School, and Welton Primary School.

For sixth form entry, the school’s guidance is specific. Applications “should be submitted by the end of December 2025”, after which the school starts allocating students to courses and organising timetables, while still accepting late applications up to the start of September with a warning about reduced subject availability if courses are already full.

Families trying to assess realism should use the FindMySchool Map Search to understand how local priorities, catchment patterns, and annual movement can affect admission outcomes.

Pastoral provision is framed as a priority in the school’s own documentation, but it is also backed by the most recent inspection outcome. Personal development is graded Outstanding, and the report describes an “exemplary” programme, including leadership roles that influence practical aspects of school life.

A useful detail is the trust-level Be Well programme. The school describes additional emotional and wellbeing support for pupils, parents or carers, and staff, beyond what schools normally offer. In a large secondary, access and signposting can matter as much as provision, so it is also worth noting the school has a Student Support Hub designed as a single access point for resources.

For families with additional needs, the SEND information published by the school includes practical on-site accessibility features, including ramps, adjustable tables, and the ability to accommodate subjects on the ground floor for wheelchair users. That kind of operational detail is often more meaningful than generic commitments.

There is one improvement point to weigh, and it is important. The most recent Ofsted report identifies that a small number of pupils do not receive precisely matched support, particularly weaker readers, and that leaders are refining phonics-based interventions and precision of support. For families whose child has literacy needs, this is the right topic to raise early in conversations with the school, including what current interventions look like and how progress is tracked.

This is one area where the school’s scale is clearly an advantage. Facilities include a floodlit full-size 3G pitch and a sports hall set up with four badminton courts and cricket nets, and the wider site includes The Space, described as a multi-use facility used for catering, exams, and sporting activities.

The climbing wall is a genuine differentiator. It appears in the school’s own virtual tour and also shows up as a timetabled enrichment activity in the published extra-curricular programme (for example, climbing scheduled on a named week cycle). The implication is practical: active students who are not motivated by traditional team sports still have a physical outlet that feels purposeful and skill-based.

There is also evidence of breadth beyond sport. Ofsted’s 2024 report references students taking part in Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, tending an allotment, learning about aviation, practising debating, and contributing to drama productions. It also describes sixth form students supporting younger pupils with mindfulness and examination coping strategies. This matters because it signals leadership opportunities that go beyond prefect-style roles and into peer support and service.

If you want names rather than generalities, the school’s published enrichment timetable includes activities such as Aviation Society and Maths Challenge (sixth form), alongside band and school production rehearsal. Those specifics are useful for parents and students who need reassurance that enrichment is structured rather than occasional.

This is a state school with no tuition fees.

The school day is published as 08:40 to 15:20, Monday to Friday.

Transport planning is unusually detailed. The school publishes bus information and notes a free Twilight bus service on Mondays and Thursdays, arriving at 16:45 and dropping students within the catchment area, which can be a significant practical enabler for after-school clubs.

• Admission demand is real. With 485 applications for 339 offers in the latest admissions data provided, this is not a low-pressure intake route. Families should plan early and understand how the local admissions priorities apply in practice.

• Literacy support is a current improvement focus. The most recent inspection highlights that support for weaker readers has not always been precisely matched to need, and that leaders have plans to refine phonics-based intervention. This is a key discussion point for families whose child needs structured literacy support.

• A large school can feel different year to year. Ofsted describes behaviour as generally calm and self-regulated, but also notes that a small minority’s actions can make some students feel uncomfortable. Ask how the school identifies patterns early, and what happens when day-to-day standards slip in a particular year group.

• Sixth form deadlines come quickly. The school advises submitting sixth form applications by the end of December 2025 for the 2026 entry cycle, with later applications accepted but potentially with reduced subject choice. That matters if your child is keeping options open across multiple providers.

South Hunsley School and Sixth Form College is a high-capacity, high-organisation secondary that uses structures, especially the house system and clear pastoral roles, to make scale workable. Outcomes sit in line with the middle 35% of schools in England on both GCSE and A-level rankings, while the sixth form and personal development are recognised as standout strengths in the most recent inspection.

Who it suits: families in the local area who want a well-run, broad-curriculum 11 to 18 setting with a large sixth form, strong enrichment, and clear routines. The main challenge is navigating competitive admission and ensuring the pastoral and learning support match your child’s specific needs.