Churchill Community College serves Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, as a mixed secondary school for students aged 11-18. The school was founded in 1900, making it a longstanding presence in the local community. It holds an Inadequate rating from Ofsted, following a full inspection on 30 January 2024. This represents a sharp decline from its Good rating in 2019. The school currently educates approximately 920 students and has a published capacity of 1,060 places. It is a non-selective, maintained foundation school within The North Tyneside Learning Trust.
Churchill Community College operates within a challenging context. The recent Ofsted inspection identified serious weaknesses across leadership, quality of education, and student outcomes. The school is part of the North Tyneside Learning Trust, which includes five secondary schools. Leadership changes have been implemented, with new senior staff joining the school, though inspectors noted these changes are recent and their impact remains limited. The school currently operates under statutory special measures, meaning additional scrutiny and support are in place. The 920 pupils represent a socioeconomically diverse population, with 44.9% eligible for free school meals, significantly above the England average. A house system divides students into Alnwick, Bamburgh, Dunstanburgh, Ford, Lindisfarne, and Warkworth Houses.
The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
Churchill Community College's GCSE results place it below national standards. The average Attainment 8 score is 39.5, compared to the England average of 45.9. The school ranks 3,394th in England for GCSE outcomes, placing it in the bottom quartile (FindMySchool data). This represents a significant decline in student achievement over recent years. Progress 8, which measures how much progress students make from their starting points, is -0.86, substantially negative, indicating pupils make significantly less progress than expected. This reflects genuine concern about teaching quality and curriculum implementation.
Only 1.1% of pupils achieved the English Baccalaureate qualification (grade 5 or above in English, maths, sciences, humanities, and languages), against the England average of around 35%. This extremely low figure suggests minimal focus on this broad qualification pathway.
The 2023-24 leavers destinations data shows that 55% progressed to university, 4% to further education, 4% to apprenticeships, and 22% to employment.
Sixth form results are similarly concerning. At A-level, only 29.73% achieved A*-B grades, compared to the England average of 47.2%. The school ranks 2,173rd in England for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool data), placing it in the lower. Only 1.35% achieved A*, and 8.11% achieved A grade. These figures reflect weak academic progress through the sixth form.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
A-Level A*-B
29.73%
% of students achieving grades A*-B
GCSE 9–7
—
% of students achieving grades 9-7
The January 2024 Ofsted inspection identified fundamental weaknesses in teaching and curriculum delivery. Inspectors found that teaching does not consistently support pupils to understand the content they are taught. Some aspects of the curriculum lack sufficient ambition. Teachers do not always check pupils' understanding before moving to new content, resulting in gaps in learning. The school serves students with significant SEN needs through PALS (Personal Achievement through Learning Support), which targets Key Stage 4 pupils requiring alternative provision. However, inspection feedback suggests support plans for students with SEND are not sufficiently tailored to individual needs.
The school delivers a broad curriculum through conventional subjects. Students study the compulsory National Curriculum subjects alongside options in humanities, languages, and vocational qualifications at Key Stage 4. At A-level, the school offers a range of subjects, though specific subject offerings should be confirmed with the school directly.
Early reading support is an identified weakness. Pupils at early stages of reading do not receive targeted phonics intervention. This is particularly significant for younger secondary students who may lack foundational literacy skills.
Quality of Education
Inadequate
Behaviour & Attitudes
Requires Improvement
Personal Development
Requires Improvement
Leadership & Management
Inadequate
FMS Inspection Score calculated by FindMySchool based on official inspection data.
Churchill Community College is non-selective, meaning students are admitted without entrance examinations. It operates under standard coordinated admissions through North Tyneside Local Authority. Entry is primarily through Year 7, though the school may admit students at other entry points if places become available.
The school is oversubscribed at Year 7 entry. In the most recent admissions cycle, there were 208 applications for 171 offers, representing 1.22. applications per place After looked-after children and those with statements naming the school, places are allocated using published criteria. Parents should verify current admissions details with both the school and the local authority.
Applications
208
Total received
Places Offered
171
Subscription Rate
1.2x
Apps per place
Behaviour and attendance remain significant areas of concern. The January 2024 inspection rated both as "Requires Improvement." Inspectors noted that persistent absence among disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND is high. However, there has been recent progress: the number of suspensions has fallen significantly during the 2024-25 academic year, indicating improved behaviour management.
Safeguarding arrangements are effective. Pupils feel safe and report having trusted adults to turn to with concerns. The school maintains appropriate child protection procedures, though wider pastoral support systems require strengthening. Counselling services are available for students requiring emotional support. Personal development through PSHE education is inconsistent across the school; inspectors found some pupils not adequately prepared for life in modern Britain.
The school provides a range of extracurricular opportunities, though limited information is publicly available. Art Club offers creative activity. Students have the opportunity to complete Sports Leaders awards, enabling them to develop leadership skills by organizing and running sports activities at local primary schools.
Field trips and special events occur throughout the year, including geography and science field work, theatre visits, a ski trip, and a soccer tour. Year 11 pupils benefit from a residential PE revision weekend. Year council and school council provide governance opportunities, with positions available on the College Governing Body.
A substantial Learning Resources Centre operates from 8am to 5pm, offering extended access to technology and study space. The school hosts an ongoing Gifted and Talented programme providing extension activities for high-attaining students.
Tennis@Churchill is a significant recent facility investment. This four-court indoor tennis facility allows year-round play. The facility was developed with support from the Lawn Tennis Association and Sport England. A Health and Fitness Suite is available on site. Football pitches and a sports hall provide venues for mainstream PE and intramural competition.
An extended programme supports pupils identified as Gifted and Talented, encouraging progression to higher education. Weekly subject support sessions are offered by individual departments. Peer-mentoring links Year 12 students with younger pupils (Years 7-8) for one-to-one reading and homework support.
The school operates PALS (Personal Achievement through Learning Support), a Key Stage 4 programme providing full-time supervised education for pupils not served by mainstream schooling. This includes students entering the borough without mainstream provision and those referred through the North Tyneside Secondary Support Team. PALS addresses the needs of highly vulnerable learners.
Beyond the immediate school community, Churchill collaborates with Burnside Business and Enterprise College on sixth form provision, sharing resources and opportunities. The school is a registered provider of SCITT training, offering School-Centred Initial Teacher Training for PGCE students.
This is a state school with no tuition fees. Churchill Community College is located on Churchill Street, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, NE28 7TN. The school day typically runs from approximately 8:50am to 3:20pm. Contact the school directly for enquiries.
Inadequate Ofsted rating. The January 2024 inspection judged the school Inadequate overall, with Inadequate ratings in Quality of Education and Leadership & Management. This reflects genuine concerns about teaching quality and curriculum delivery. Sixth Form Provision was rated Requires Improvement. Families should understand what this means: the school is underperforming and is under statutory special measures, requiring significant improvement within a defined timeframe.
Poor academic outcomes. GCSE and A-level results are substantially below national averages. Progress 8 scores indicate pupils make significantly less progress than those with comparable starting points elsewhere. For families prioritizing academic results, this data is concerning.
High deprivation context. The school serves a community with above-average disadvantage (44.9% eligible for free school meals). This context explains some, but not all, of the challenges. Family income and support for homework should not determine quality of teaching or curriculum ambition, both areas flagged as weak.
Recent leadership changes. New senior leaders have been appointed. Inspectors noted these were recent (at time of inspection in January 2024) and impact was limited. It is too early to determine whether new leadership will drive the improvement required.
Behaviour and attendance concerns. Persistent absence is high, particularly among disadvantaged students and those with SEND. Recent months have seen suspensions fall, but systemic attendance patterns remain problematic.
Churchill Community College faces serious challenges. The Inadequate rating reflects real educational concerns, not merely statistical performance, but fundamental issues with teaching, curriculum ambition, and leadership. The school remains open and operational; closure has not occurred. However, it is currently operating below acceptable standards and requires substantial improvement.
For families in the catchment area with limited options, the school's designation under special measures means external support and intervention are in place. Recent behaviour improvements and new leadership offer some hope, but it is too early to assess whether these changes will translate into improved teaching and outcomes. Families should weigh this carefully against their circumstances and available alternatives.
No. Churchill Community College was rated Inadequate by Ofsted in January 2024 across Quality of Education and Leadership & Management. This is the lowest Ofsted rating. The school ranks in the bottom 25% in England for GCSE outcomes (rank 3,394/4,593) and GCSE value-added metrics are significantly negative. The school is currently operating under statutory special measures.
The January 2024 inspection identified several serious issues: some curriculum areas lack ambition; teaching does not consistently support pupils to understand content taught; support plans for students with SEND are not closely matched to individual needs; attendance, particularly among disadvantaged pupils, is high; and governance was slow to respond to declining standards. Leadership and management were judged Inadequate.
New senior leaders were appointed prior to the January 2024 inspection, but their impact was judged to be limited at that time. The number of suspensions has fallen significantly during 2024-25, suggesting behaviour management is improving. Monitoring visits have occurred since the inspection. However, it is too early to confirm whether the school will successfully address the fundamental weaknesses identified.
Churchill Community College's GCSE results are below the average for North Tyneside secondaries. Other local options, such as Whitley Bay High School (Outstanding) and several schools rated Good, achieve higher outcomes. Parents should compare performance data through the DfE's Performance Tables.
In 2023-24, 55% of sixth form leavers progressed to university, 4% to further education, 4% to apprenticeships, and 22% to employment. These figures are below national progression rates to higher education and should be considered alongside the school's lower A-level attainment.
Yes. The school has Tennis@Churchill, a four-court indoor facility; a sports hall; football pitches; and a health and fitness suite. Students can participate in Sports Leaders training, fieldwork trips, theatre visits, and Gifted and Talented extension programmes. However, extracurricular information is limited, and families should contact the school for a current activity list.
Safeguarding arrangements are effective. The inspection confirmed pupils feel safe and have trusted adults to confide in. However, wider pastoral support systems require strengthening, and school attendance levels suggest some pupils are disengaged.
Get in touch with the school directly
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