Burnside College Review 2026: Six Decades of Community Education

When the Wallsend Sports Centre opened its doors within the school grounds, students gained access to facilities most state schools can only dream of. The 25-metre swimming pool, modern fitness suite, and specialist sporting facilities sit alongside a school that has spent six decades evolving. Since 1960, when Burnside first opened as a technical college, it has transformed into a comprehensive secondary serving approximately 1,000 students across all of Year 7 to Year 13. Today, the school ranks 1st in Wallsend locally and sits in the middle 35-60% band of schools in England for GCSE performance (FindMySchool ranking). Yet the sixth form tells a different story, recognised by Ofsted as Outstanding and performing in the top 5% nationally. This is a school where the upper years punch well above their average, presenting a picture of genuine excellence in post-16 education.

Wallsend carries history in its bones. From the Roman fort of Segedunum to the industrial heritage of mining and shipbuilding, the town's character runs deep. Burnside sits at the heart of this community, and that civic pride shapes the school's culture. The mission is simple: ensure students attend well, experience strong teaching, develop the character and skills needed to be successful in life, and create a happy place to work and learn.

The school moved into its current purpose-built campus in 2004, a striking modern facility designed abstractly on the pattern of a Roman mile castle. This £15 million investment replaced the aging Main Building and Annex, and it signals that leadership takes both heritage and aspiration seriously. The current headteacher, Mr Daniel Jamieson, leads a school that has sustained improvement over recent years despite facing real challenges in mathematics and modern foreign languages staffing.

Students describe good relationships with staff and a genuine culture of respect. Ofsted observed that leaders maintain a relentless drive to improve the quality of education, and that commitment is palpable. The school's values, Pride, Respect, and Achievement, are not merely slogans; they appear consistently in behaviour policies, uniforms, and daily practice.

GCSE Performance

In 2024, Burnside's cohort achieved an attainment 8 score of 41.5, sitting below the England average of 45.9. This places the school ranked 2,695th in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), reflecting performance in line with the middle 35-60% of schools nationally. Just 31% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above in English and mathematics, compared to the England average of 43%. The Progress 8 score of -0.46 indicates pupils make below-average progress from their starting points at key stage 2, a metric that warrants attention from leadership as a priority area.

At English Baccalaureate level, only 10% of pupils achieved the required standard, well below the England average of around 27%. Mathematics, in particular, shows evidence of staffing challenges that have impacted outcomes.

A-Level Performance

The picture shifts dramatically at A-level, where Burnside's sixth form delivers results that justify its Outstanding Ofsted rating. In 2024, 6% of A-level grades were A*, 18% were A, and 30% were B. Taken together, 53% of grades reached A*-B, above the England average of 47%. The school ranks 1,023rd in England for A-level results (FindMySchool ranking), placing it comfortably above average in the sixth form phase. Moreover, Burnside's sixth form ranks 1st in Wallsend locally, and the school claims an average grade of B+ across the cohort, placing performance in the top 5% nationally.

This divergence between GCSE and A-level outcomes reflects two distinct student populations. Lower sixth form entry is selective to some degree, and students have self-selected into post-16 education. The rigorous teaching and strong pastoral support evident in the sixth form contrasts with the challenges the school faces in maintaining consistent progress at key stage 4.

The school's approach to teaching rests on the REMARKable Learning Framework, which sits at the heart of lesson planning across all years. Students recapitulate prior knowledge regularly to aid long-term retention. High-quality modelling by teachers creates clarity, and the curriculum is deliberately challenging to encourage deep thinking rather than surface learning.

At key stage 3, the curriculum is broad, balanced, and demanding, deliberately preparing pupils for the rigour of years 10 and 11. All students study English, mathematics, sciences, and humanities; languages are offered; and the arts remain part of the timetable. Teaching is structured around clear expectations, with specific feedback mechanisms to help students understand precisely what they need to do to progress.

In the sixth form, tailored teaching receives emphasis, with smaller groups allowing staff to respond to individual learning needs. Vocational pathways sit alongside academic routes, recognising that students have different ambitions. Meaningful work experience and careers guidance involving university visits are woven into sixth form life, ensuring students see how their studies connect to future employment or further study.

The sixth form warrants separate attention given its recognised excellence. Sixth form students enjoy privileges including private study periods, exclusive access to sixth form facilities, Café 6, unlimited careers advice, and autonomy about how they use their time between lessons. Students are permitted to leave the school grounds during designated periods, reflecting trust placed in young adults aged 17-18.

Entry to the sixth form requires solid GCSE results, and progression through year 12 to year 13 is reviewed at the end of mock exams. Students completing their main study programme reach 92%, a strong figure indicating that most complete their chosen pathway successfully.

The school attracts sixth form students from other schools across North Tyneside because of its reputation, suggesting real appeal beyond its own Year 11 cohort. This is a sixth form that has built genuine status locally.

From Year 11

Of the 2024 cohort leavers, 58% progressed to university, 3% entered further education, 6% began apprenticeships, and 12% moved into employment. This profile reflects a mixed cohort with varied destinations, typical of a non-selective comprehensive school.

From Sixth Form

At post-16 level, the picture is more clearly academic. The sixth form is reported to place pupils in Russell Group universities and top destinations at exceptional rates. One student secured an Oxbridge place in 2024. The school emphasises meaningful work experience and careers guidance, with trips to universities and explicit pathways into leading institutions. The combination of strong A-level grades and rigorous personal guidance positions sixth formers competitively for competitive university courses.

Year 7 admission is through the standard coordinated admissions process managed by North Tyneside Local Authority. The school is non-selective, meaning places are not allocated by entrance test; however, they are oversubscribed, with 290 applications for 199 places in the latest available data. The school operates on a comprehensive basis, accepting students of all abilities and backgrounds.

Year 12 entry to the sixth form is available to external candidates, and the school actively recruits from other schools in the locality, advertising its Outstanding sixth form status and high A-level grades.

The school holds the Wellbeing Award for Schools, a formal recognition of its commitment to staff and student wellbeing. All teaching staff receive at least 33% additional non-contact time in 2024-25 as part of a wider package to support workload and mental health. School leaders are explicitly considerate of staff wellbeing and provide good career progression opportunities, creating an environment where staff feel valued.

For students, pastoral systems have been strengthened in recent years. Leaders invest in better pastoral infrastructure to identify vulnerable pupils early. A trained counsellor provides additional support where needed. Behaviour is good overall, with incidents of poor conduct reduced. Bullying is not tolerated, and the pastoral team deals with concerns quickly. Ofsted noted that pupils trust staff and know they will be well supported to be their best.

The school's additionally resourced provision supports pupils with moderate learning difficulties, with tailored support for those with identified SEN.

Sports: Wallsend Sports Centre Integration

The presence of the Wallsend Sports Centre on campus represents a distinctive asset. The 25-metre swimming pool hosts water polo, competitive swimming, and lifeguard training. A modern fitness suite serves both school and community needs. The school competes across multiple sports including football, rugby, netball, cricket, hockey, and badminton. The sports college heritage remains evident in strong PE provision and competitive fixtures throughout the year.

Music & Performing Arts

The school offers ensemble opportunities across music, though specific group names are not extensively published on accessible pages. Music and Performing Arts leadership guides curriculum provision. Annual school productions provide students with experience in drama, stagecraft, and performance, with audiences drawn from the school community.

Clubs & Societies

Extra-curricular clubs run most days, offering breadth across academic, creative, and recreational interests. Chess club, coding, drama workshops, art activities, and subject-specific enrichment clubs operate on a rotating timetable to maintain variety. The school actively encourages participation in clubs as part of its holistic development philosophy.

Academic Enrichment

Subject enhancement happens across curricula. The school works closely with local employers and university partners through the Gatsby career benchmarks, tracking student destinations for two years post-school. Sixth form students benefit from career visits, university trips, and industry speakers that connect learning to real-world pathways.

Community Contribution

Sixth form students recently organised a coffee morning for The Bay Foodbank, inviting staff and students to swap a can for a coffee, raising donations to support families in hardship. This speaks to the school's commitment to developing responsible citizens engaged in community care.

School hours run from 8:45am (registration) to approximately 3:20pm, with additional lessons before and after. The school day is structured to maximise teaching time and provide consistency. The Wallsend Sports Centre on campus is available before and after school for student use.

Transport links are good: Wallsend lies on the Tyne and Wear Metro system, with the local station providing regular connections to Newcastle and beyond. Local bus services serve the school, and many students cycle or walk given the town centre location.

Uniform is mandatory and reflects the school's core values of Pride, Respect, and Achievement. Sixth form students wear a formal dress code reflecting their role as senior leaders in the school community.

Mixed attainment profile at key stage 4. GCSE results sit at middle-band national performance, with Progress 8 indicating below-average progress. This reflects a diverse intake and real challenges in mathematics and languages staffing. Families seeking a school with the strongest GCSE outcomes should weigh carefully; however, those wanting a comprehensive local provision will find Burnside serves its community well.

Sixth form excellence is distinct from GCSE performance. The Outstanding sixth form is selective in its own right. Lower-attaining students at GCSE may not proceed to post-16 study here. The school works effectively with those who do continue, but there is a marked step up in expectation and achievement at A-level.

Attendance expectations are high. The school maintains rigorous attendance policies, with targets of 100% and emphasis on punctuality. Students and families should be prepared for active monitoring and intervention if absence rises above acceptable thresholds. This reflects the school's philosophy that attendance drives achievement.

Burnside College is a comprehensive secondary school that delivers strongest where it is most selective: in the sixth form, where Ofsted's Outstanding judgment is thoroughly justified and recent leavers' destinations to Russell Group universities confirm genuine excellence. At key stage 4, the school offers a solid, well-structured education in a supportive environment, though results are in line with national averages rather than exceeding them. The school is best suited to families wanting a non-selective community secondary with good pastoral care, strong sixth form opportunities, and a genuine commitment to personal development. The modern facilities, Wallsend Sports Centre integration, and motivated leadership offer real strengths. The main consideration is realistic expectation about GCSE attainment if students are not among the higher-attaining cohort; the exceptional provision is concentrated at post-16 level.