About Stockton schools

Stockton schools

The Borough of Stockton-on-Tees comprises four distinct townships:

Billingham
Stockton Town
Thornaby (including Ingleby Barwick)
Yarm and Eaglescliffe

Within these townships, Stockton Council currently maintains:

61 primary phase schools
14 secondary schools (including two with sixth forms),
Four special schools (two of which also cater for residential pupils)
Two pupil referral units

There are also three sixth form or further education colleges located within the Borough.

Types of schools

Stockton Borough has an excellent range of extremely good schools. The choice is wide and diverse - but what are the differences between them?

All schools have a governing body - a group of volunteers responsible for appointing staff, managing the budget, maintaining standards and ensuring children are safe. A headteacher or principal is responsible for the day-to-day management.

Community schools

Community schools are owned by the Council, which controls pupil admissions and appoints some governors. Parents, staff and local residents can also be governors. The Council employs the staff but does not appoint them - the governing body does that.

Voluntary-aided schools

Voluntary-aided schools tend to be religious or faith schools owned by the Church of England or the Roman Catholic Church, who appoint some of their governors and usually own their school buildings. The governing body employs staff and controls pupil admissions.

Voluntary-controlled schools

Voluntary-controlled schools are similar to voluntary-aided schools. They are faith schools that choose to work closely with the Council. The Council employs staff and controls pupil admissions.

Foundation schools

Foundation Schools are similar to voluntary-aided schools but without the religious element. An external trust owns the school's land and buildings, appoints the governors, employs staff and controls pupil admissions.

Stockton Borough doesn't have any Foundation schools.

All the schools described above have to follow the national curriculum and must pay teachers according to national agreements.

Academies

Academies are all-ability, publicly funded, independent state schools funded by the Government. They can set their own pay and conditions for staff, have freedoms around curriculum delivery and can change the length of their terms and school days. Academy buildings are owned by a trust which appoints governors and employs staff. The governing body controls pupil admissions.

In Stockton we have two academies. North Shore Health Academy has NHS Stockton as lead sponsor and it has a science specialism, with a strong focus on health and well-being, and sport. Thornaby Academy has Teesside University as lead sponsor and it has a specialism of Business and Enterprise with a focus on Digital Media.

The Council, Stockton Riverside College and Stockton Sixth Form College are co-sponsors of these Academies.

Free schools

Free Schools are all-ability, publicly-funded, independent schools established by groups who show evidence of parental demand. They do not have to follow the National Curriculum, can set their own pay and conditions and change the length of school terms and the school day.

There aren't any Free Schools in Stockton Borough. However, a group of parents and independent councillors in Ingleby Barwick is applying to set up a Free School in the town. They are likely to find out whether their application has been successful later this year.

Independent schools

Other Independent Schools (Private Schools) are funded by fees paid by parents and income from the school's investments. They can set their own curriculum and admissions policies. There are three independent schools in Stockton Borough. For more information about these schools visit the Independent Schools Joint Council at www.isc.co.uk

School admissions

You can view admission zones for particular educational establishments via the maps@stockton service and find out more about school admissions and transfers online.