Joshua Mangas
School Intel

The Duchess's Community High School

  • Secondary
  • Academy converter
  • Ages 11 to 18

URN 150196 · Northumberland · PELE TRUST

In Northumberland

Inspection

Ofsted management information, as at 30 September 2026.

Latest graded inspection

19 October 2021

Overall effectiveness
Requires improvement

Quality of education
Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes
Requires improvement
Personal development
Requires improvement
Leadership and management
Requires improvement
Sixth form provision
Requires improvement
Safeguarding is effective
Yes

This inspection was of the predecessor school, before it converted or reopened under its current URN.

Full inspection (section 5)

Under the earlier framework, inspections gave an overall effectiveness grade.

Read the reports on Ofsted’s website. Source: Ofsted, State-funded school inspections and outcomes: management information.

Attendance

Against Northumberland and England, secondary schools.

Overall absence

2024/25

9.9%

Northumberland
8.6%
England
8.4%

1.5 percentage points higher than England.

5.47.59.62017/182024/25
This schoolNorthumberlandEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Overall absence
YearThis schoolNorthumberlandEngland
2017/18Not published5.4%5.5%
2018/19Not published5.4%5.5%
2020/21Not published5.1%5.5%
2021/22Not published9.0%9.0%
2022/23Not published8.4%9.0%
2023/249.2%9.0%8.9%
2024/259.9%8.6%8.4%

Sessions missed for any reason, as a share of all possible sessions in the school year. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25.

Persistent absence

2024/25

29.3%

Northumberland
22.4%
England
23.4%

5.9 percentage points higher than England.

13.420.828.22017/182024/25
This schoolNorthumberlandEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Persistent absence
YearThis schoolNorthumberlandEngland
2017/18Not published13.0%13.9%
2018/19Not published12.3%13.7%
2020/21Not published13.0%14.8%
2021/22Not published27.4%27.7%
2022/23Not published24.0%26.5%
2023/2427.8%24.6%25.6%
2024/2529.3%22.4%23.4%

Pupils who missed 10% or more of their possible sessions, as a share of pupils. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25.

Severe absence

2024/25

3.8%

Northumberland
3.9%
England
3.9%

0.1 percentage points lower than England.

1.32.53.72017/182024/25
This schoolNorthumberlandEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Severe absence
YearThis schoolNorthumberlandEngland
2017/18Not published1.1%1.2%
2018/19Not published1.1%1.3%
2020/21Not published1.2%1.5%
2021/22Not published2.4%2.7%
2022/23Not published2.5%3.4%
2023/242.2%3.6%3.8%
2024/253.8%3.9%3.9%

Pupils who missed 50% or more of their possible sessions, as a share of pupils. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25.

Suspensions and permanent exclusions

Against Northumberland and England, secondary schools.

Suspensions per 100 pupils

2024/25

29.38

Northumberland
29.20
England
21.24

8.14 higher than England.

8.318.127.92017/182024/25
This schoolNorthumberlandEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Suspensions per 100 pupils
YearThis schoolNorthumberlandEngland
2017/18Not published17.4410.13
2018/19Not published14.7410.75
2019/20Not published6.867.43
2020/21Not published8.648.48
2021/22Not published17.5713.96
2022/23Not published23.6618.90
2023/2428.7328.9722.61
2024/2529.3829.2021.24

Suspensions in the school year for every 100 pupils on roll. One pupil can be suspended more than once. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, 2024/25.

Permanent exclusions per 100 pupils

2024/25

0.52

Northumberland
0.38
England
0.23

0.29 higher than England.

0.00.30.52017/182024/25
This schoolNorthumberlandEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Permanent exclusions per 100 pupils
YearThis schoolNorthumberlandEngland
2017/18Not published0.320.20
2018/19Not published0.350.20
2019/20Not published0.150.13
2020/21Not published0.170.10
2021/22Not published0.350.16
2022/23Not published0.400.22
2023/240.000.490.25
2024/250.520.380.23

Permanent exclusions in the school year for every 100 pupils on roll. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, 2024/25.

Key stage 4 results

Against Northumberland and England, secondary schools.

Attainment 8

2025/26 (provisional)

41.3

Northumberland
45.4
England
47.4

6.1 lower than England.

41.945.649.22021/222022/232023/242024/252025/26
This schoolNorthumberlandEngland
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Attainment 8
YearThis schoolNorthumberlandEngland
2021/22Not published48.449.8
2022/23Not published46.047.2
2023/24Not published46.046.9
2024/2543.245.947.1
2025/26 (provisional)41.345.447.4

The average of pupils' points across eight GCSE-level qualifications, with English and maths counted twice. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Key stage 4 performance, 2025/26.

English and maths: grade 4 or above

2025/26 (provisional)

55%

Northumberland
65%
England
66%

11 percentage points lower than England.

5663692021/222022/232023/242024/252025/26
This schoolNorthumberlandEngland
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English and maths: grade 4 or above
YearThis schoolNorthumberlandEngland
2021/22Not published69%70%
2022/23Not published66%67%
2023/24Not published67%67%
2024/2563%66%66%
2025/26 (provisional)55%65%66%

Pupils at the end of key stage 4 with grade 4 or above in both English and maths. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Key stage 4 performance, 2025/26.

English and maths: grade 5 or above

2025/26 (provisional)

35%

Northumberland
44%
England
48%

13 percentage points lower than England.

3643502021/222022/232023/242024/252025/26
This schoolNorthumberlandEngland
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English and maths: grade 5 or above
YearThis schoolNorthumberlandEngland
2021/22Not published48%51%
2022/23Not published45%46%
2023/24Not published45%47%
2024/2538%44%47%
2025/26 (provisional)35%44%48%

Pupils at the end of key stage 4 with grade 5 or above in both English and maths. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Key stage 4 performance, 2025/26.

Pupils

Against Northumberland and England, secondary schools.

Eligible for free school meals

2024/25

16.1%

Northumberland
23.2%
England
25.8%

9.7 percentage points lower than England.

15.920.525.12021/222022/232023/242024/25
This schoolNorthumberlandEngland
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Eligible for free school meals
YearThis schoolNorthumberlandEngland
2021/22Not published18.7%20.9%
2022/23Not published20.6%22.7%
2023/2415.2%21.8%24.1%
2024/2516.1%23.2%25.8%

Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals on census day in January. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

SEN support

2024/25

13.6%

Northumberland
13.2%
England
13.4%

0.2 percentage points higher than England.

11.212.614.02021/222022/232023/242024/25
This schoolNorthumberlandEngland
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SEN support
YearThis schoolNorthumberlandEngland
2021/22Not published11.0%11.9%
2022/23Not published11.3%12.4%
2023/2414.2%11.7%12.9%
2024/2513.6%13.2%13.4%

Pupils receiving special educational needs support without an education, health and care plan. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

Education, health and care plan

2024/25

3.9%

Northumberland
3.2%
England
3.1%

0.8 percentage points higher than England.

1.92.93.82021/222022/232023/242024/25
This schoolNorthumberlandEngland
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Education, health and care plan
YearThis schoolNorthumberlandEngland
2021/22Not published1.8%2.2%
2022/23Not published2.2%2.4%
2023/243.1%2.5%2.7%
2024/253.9%3.2%3.1%

Pupils with an education, health and care plan. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

First language other than English

2024/25

2.2%

Northumberland
2.9%
England
19.2%

17.0 percentage points lower than England.

3.210.618.12021/222022/232023/242024/25
This schoolNorthumberlandEngland
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First language other than English
YearThis schoolNorthumberlandEngland
2021/22Not published2.0%17.5%
2022/23Not published2.6%18.1%
2023/242.3%2.7%18.6%
2024/252.2%2.9%19.2%

Pupils whose first language is known or believed to be other than English. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

Teachers

Against Northumberland and England, secondary schools.

Pupils per qualified teacher

2025/26

16.3

Northumberland
16.5
England
17.3

1.0 lower than England.

14.816.418.02017/182025/26
This schoolNorthumberlandEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Pupils per qualified teacher
YearThis schoolNorthumberlandEngland
2017/18Not published17.116.5
2018/19Not published17.116.8
2019/20Not published17.317.2
2020/21Not published17.017.1
2021/22Not published18.217.1
2022/23Not published16.817.2
2023/24Not published16.717.4
2024/2514.616.417.3
2025/2616.316.517.3

Full-time equivalent pupils for each full-time equivalent qualified teacher. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, School workforce in England, 2025/26.

Teacher sickness absence

2024/25

6.3 days

Northumberland
5.8 days
England
5.0 days

1.3 days higher than England.

Compared with all state-funded schools: DfE publishes this measure for all schools, not by phase.

4.15.67.12017/182024/25
This schoolNorthumberlandEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Teacher sickness absence
YearThis schoolNorthumberlandEngland
2017/18Not published5.9 days4.0 days
2018/19Not published5.2 days4.0 days
2019/20Not publishedNot publishedNot published
2020/21Not published4.4 days3.9 days
2021/22Not published5.6 days6.3 days
2022/23Not published7.3 days5.2 days
2023/245.1 days6.3 days5.3 days
2024/256.3 days5.8 days5.0 days

Days lost to sickness absence in the school year, averaged across all teachers. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, School workforce in England, 2024/25.

Finance

Academies report their accounts as part of their trust, so DfE publishes no school-level balance for this school. The trust’s figures are in DfE’s Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool.

See this school in the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool

About the school

Pupils on roll
1,276
Capacity
1,651
Type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
Age range
11 to 18
Sixth form
Has a sixth form
Admissions
Non-selective
Gender
Mixed
Trust
PELE TRUST
Opened
1 December 2023
Setting
Larger rural: Further from a major town or city
Constituency
North Northumberland
Deprivation of the area (IDACI)
Decile 7 of 10 (1 is the most deprived tenth of neighbourhoods)

Address: Taylor Drive, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 2DH

Website: www.dchs-alnwick.org/

Telephone: 01665602166

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Sources and corrections

Every figure on this page names its source and period. This release was built on 20 October 2026.

Spotted something wrong? Report a correction with the school’s URN (150196). Fixes go out in the next weekly release.

The Duchess's Community High School, URN 150196. https://joshuamangas.com/intel/school/150196/. Data release 20 October 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.