Longbenton High is a caring school
OFSTED, June 2022
Welcome
Welcome to Longbenton High School. We are proud to be a successful 11-18 school with an excellent sixth form in a wonderful modern, purpose-built space. If you are looking for a school that will challenge your child to achieve their very best and support them to grow into the happiest, best version of themselves that they can be, then we should be your school of choice.
We are a highly aspirational, truly comprehensive school of around 1,000 students. The school building is bright and modern; a new build was completed in 2016. We have a focus here on KIDMAP values: kindness, integrity, determination, manners, ambition and positivity. This is a school where the chances of all children are championed and where your background is no barrier to success.
Since I became headteacher here in 2020, it has been my aim to transform this school and I am proud to say we have done so. We were graded Good in our 2022 Ofsted inspection and we are an increasingly popular school; we have been heavily oversubscribed for the past two years.
We are in the top 5 schools in the Local Authority for 5+ GCSE basics outcomes (strong pass including English and Maths) in 2024.
We have a unique pastoral team - with Associate Assistant Headteachers responsible for each stage of your child's journey and non teaching Pastoral Managers attached to each year group of 180 students. We pride ourselves on getting to know every individual. I would be delighted if you and your child chose to join us on your secondary school journey and joined our community of #LHS Legends.
Kelly Holbrook Headteacher
Values and ethos
The school we are building together is based on our ‘KIDMAP’ values of kindness, integrity, determination, manners, ambition and positivity.
Longbenton is a caring school and we know our students well. We have a warm/strict approach and focus heavily on ambitious, high standards of behaviour.
Routines are a key element: this leads to a calm, positive atmosphere and climate. Our vertical House system - alongside year based form groups - helps us to develop a real sense of community.
We have a thriving school culture, with groups such as our LHS Equalities Team driving positive change around diversity and inclusion. Our school is about creating opportunities, instilling confidence and building the foundations for success.
91% of parents say their child is happy at this school OFSTED, Parent survey 2022
Why choose our school?
Transition
We understand moving school can be stressful and aim to make this as smooth and as positive as possible. Students start coming to us through our transition programme when they are in Year 5 for regular curriculum visits including a Year 5 Sports Day; Year 6 students have access to our Inspire extra curricular programme from the summer term.
New Year 7 students start in September before any other year group and are placed into a split lunch system where they are buddied up with Year 8 only. Specific transition support also comes in the form of a reading and oracy strategy which places focus on developing these skills with additional curriculum time in Year 7 and 8.
Curriculum
At Longbenton High School, we use a traditional 3-year KS3 and a 2-year KS4 model. Whilst our curriculum is traditional, all areas of learning thrive and are valued. Most ‘English Baccalaureate’ subjects have high rates of entry, but so too do Art, Music, Drama, PE and Business. Students choose two additional option subjects at GCSE outside of the core curriculum. We offer Spanish and French as languages and students can study additional Further Maths at GCSE if they are gifted in that area, as well as subjects such as Computer Science.
Our focus on reading and oracy ensures we can deliver real cultural capital and remove social mobility barriers connected to literacy, to guarantee our students can compete with peers from all schools including the private sector for jobs, apprenticeships and university places. Students are expected to read for 10 minutes at school each day during form time.
Enrichment and extracurricular offer
We believe wider curriculum opportunities are crucial for student development and aim to deliver a high quality before and after school enrichment offer to cater for a broad range of interests and talents.
Our ‘Inspire’ curriculum allows students to gain experience and skills in areas that might not be part of the everyday curriculum, develop personal skills and attributes, make new friendships and become a real part of our school community.
There is an expectation that students will attend a minimum of one session until 4pm per week with clubs ranging from Lego to choir, animal care to Latin and everything in between. We open this offer up to incoming Year 6 students in the summer term.
We also offer peripatetic music tuition, including LAMDA drama lessons and the EPQ qualification in Sixth Form.
Leaders have worked hard to strengthen pupils' development
OFSTED, June 2022
Sixth Form
Discover your potential in our thriving Sixth Form.
Our Sixth Form offer has been shared with GSHS in the past, but will be completely independent from September 2025 We will have a revised, exciting curriculum offer in place for students, with everything from STEM subjects to Politics. Our unique structure with academic and pastoral staff supporting Y11-13 enables a seamless transition from GCSE to A Level.
Our Sixth Form students enjoy a spacious common room and dedicated study area where they can relax, collaborate, and focus on their academic goals. An impressive 21% of students achieved a sweep of top grades at A*-A in 2024.
We are proud of our excellent retention and destinations data: Over 80% of our students went on to university this Autumn, with 100% securing either a university place, apprenticeship, or employment. Our students have achieved places at prestigious universities like Oxbridge and Russell Group institutions.
Longbenton High School is also the only local Sixth Form in the area to offer a BTEC Medical Sciences course, a qualification that supports progression to a range of job roles within healthcare and life sciences, one of the fastestgrowing work sectors in the North East.
Applications and enquiries for our Sixth Form can be made via post16@longbenton.org.uk
Admissions
In the past your child may have been guaranteed a place; we are now increasingly popular and were heavily oversubscribed in 2023 and 2024. We recommend that you allocate Longbenton High School as your first choice school to ensure the best chance of a place next September.
We hold a welcome event for new parents and families as soon as places are allocated in March each year and begin the roll out of a high quality transition programme.
Our admissions authority is North Tyneside. Apply online by October 31st at my.northtyneside.gov.uk/category/219/ online-school-applications
Leaders have strengthened the curriculum and made sure it is ambitious.
OFSTED, June 2022
2024 outcomes
In the top 5 of Local Authority schools for 5+
GCSE basics (strong pass including English & Maths)
67% achieved 4+ at GCSE, in line with the national average
21% of students achieved a sweep of top grades at A*-A at A Level. 64% of A Level grades were C+
OFSTED, June 2022
Contact us to arrange a visit...
Hailsham Avenue, Longbenton, Newcastle upon Tyne NE12 8ER
Telephone 0191 218 9500
Email lhs@longbenton.org.uk www.longbenton.org.uk
@longbentonhs
@longbentonhs
@longbenton_high_school