Secondary school

Durham Johnston Comprehensive School

  • Community School
  • ages 11–18
  • Mixed
  • Durham
  • DH1 4SU
  • Sixth form
Ofsted areas (no overall grade) · inspected Feb 2025 Top school 2024/25

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Results · 2024/25

Ranked 467 of 3,280 secondaries in England · top 15%

Top % in England, by year
2015/16: top 14%14%2016/17: top 18%2017/18: top 11%11% · 2017/182018/19: top 13%2021/22: top 15%2022/23: top 15%2023/24: top 12%2024/25: top 15%No exams

A-level results

#5 of 72 North East sixth forms, state and independent, 2024/25

Independent and selective (grammar) schools choose their pupils, so high results partly reflect who gets in, not only teaching. Some independent schools don't publish results.

Against North East

Attainment 855.2 · North East 45.210/10 Top 10%
Grade 5+ English and maths62.1% · North East 43.7%10/10 Top 10%
EBacc point score4.77 · North East 3.9310/10 Top 10%
Progress 8 · 2023/24+0.18 · North East −0.219/10 Top 20%
A level points per entry39.67 · North East 33.310/10 Top 10%
Show exam results by year

No exams 2019/20–21

Attainment 8
2015/16: 57.2 · 230 pupils · North East 49.42016/17: 52.8 · 237 pupils · North East 45.12017/18: 56.9 · 236 pupils · North East 44.92018/19: 55.9 · 232 pupils · North East 45.52021/22: 57.4 · 263 pupils · North East 48.42022/23: 55.1 · 265 pupils · North East 45.32023/24: 56.7 · 259 pupils · North East 44.652024/25: 55.2 · 264 pupils · North East 45.257.452.8No exams
Grade 5+ English and maths
2016/17: 58% · 237 pupils · North East 36%2017/18: 66% · 236 pupils · North East 39%2018/19: 64% · 232 pupils · North East 38%2021/22: 65% · 263 pupils · North East 47%2022/23: 63% · 265 pupils · North East 41%2023/24: 67.6% · 259 pupils · North East 42.5%2024/25: 62.1% · 264 pupils · North East 43.7%67.6%58%No exams
A level points per entry
2015/16: 41.03 · 163 pupils · North East 29.922016/17: 40.92 · 181 pupils · North East 30.512017/18: 40.7 · 176 pupils · North East 31.342018/19: 42.39 · 165 pupils · North East 32.232021/22: 44.45 · 194 pupils · North East 37.032022/23: 40.18 · 163 pupils · North East 33.292023/24: 41.47 · 158 pupils · North East 33.322024/25: 39.67 · 182 pupils · North East 33.344.4539.67No exams

Getting in · 2026

First-choice families who got in78.3%
257 of 328 who put it first2014 · 84.3%2026 · 78.4%
By preference
ChoiceAppliedOffered
1st328257
2nd2990
3rd1560

Last distance offered: London only

Inspections · 2007–2025

  • Personal developmentOutstanding
  • Quality of educationGood
  • Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
  • Sixth form provisionOutstanding
  • Leadership and managementGood
  • SafeguardingEffective
  1. 2007Good
  2. 2011Outstanding
  3. 2015Outstanding
  4. 2025Lowest Good

Pupils · 2024/25

On roll · Jan 20261,667
Free school meals (past 6 years)15.9%
First language not English15.2%
SEN support6.8%
EHC plan1.8%
Absence (sessions missed)6.5%
Persistently absent pupils15.5%

Girls 49.4%Boys 50.6%

98.1% full · 1,700 places · 357 in sixth form

Parent View

Earlier survey (before Nov 2025) · as at 1 Sep 2025 · 500 responses (29.6% of pupils)

  • My child is happy at this school92.6% agree
  • My child feels safe at this school93.6% agree
  • The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved92.4% agree
  • My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively · 68.8% not applicable53.2% agree
  • The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year96.6% agree
  • When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly · 33.2% not applicable79.3% agree
  • Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?18.6% yes
  • My child has SEND, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed · asked only of the 18.6% who said Yes above63.4% agree
  • The school has high expectations for my child90.2% agree
  • My child does well at this school90.8% agree
  • The school lets me know how my child is doing85.4% agree
  • There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school98.2% agree
  • My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school97.8% agree
  • The school supports my child's wider personal development84.4% agree
  • I would recommend this school to another parent92.4% yes

Workforce · 2025/26

Pupils per teacher17.1
Pupils per adult14.3
  • Classroom teachers 87.8
  • Leadership 9.8
  • Teaching assistants 16
  • Other support 25.1

Teachers 97.6 FTE · Whole workforce 138.6 · 167 people

Financials · 2025/26

Income per pupil£7,713
Spend per pupil£7,569
Staff spend per pupil£5,459
Reserve per pupil£355
  • +£592,123revenue reserve
  • +£240,910in-year balance

Grants £7,224 · self-generated £490 · premises £255 per pupil

Destinations · 2023/24 leavers

After Year 11

258 students, followed through 2024/25 · Provisional

  • Sustained91.9%
  • Education86%
  • Apprenticeship4.3%
  • Employment1.6%
  • Not sustained4.7%
  • Unknown3.5%

After sixth form (16–18)

164 students, followed through 2024/25 · Provisional

  • Sustained90.2%
  • Education74.4%
  • Higher education73.2%
  • Apprenticeship3%
  • Employment12.8%
  • Not sustained6.1%
  • Unknown3.7%