John Spence Community High School Catchment Area
John Spence Community High School is an academy converter secondary school in North Shields, North Tyneside , serving pupils aged 11-16, with 812 pupils, and a capacity of 885 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
11-16
Age range
812
Pupils
885
Capacity
92%
Fill rate
Requires improvement
Ofsted 2023
John Spence Community High School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for John Spence Community High School?
The catchment area for John Spence Community High School is the geographic zone North Tyneside uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. North Tyneside publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
As an academy, John Spence Community High School sets its own admissions criteria, agreed with North Tyneside. The catchment area boundary is defined in the school's annual admissions policy, which may differ from the LA's general school admissions arrangements.
Get an alert if John Spence Community High School goes oversubscribed for 2027 →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by North Tyneside before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find North Tyneside catchment area documents →John Spence Community High School: 885 places, 92% filled: nearing capacity
John Spence Community High School has a published admission number of 885 places. 812 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 92%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 885, North Tyneside's admissions team applies distance-based tiebreakers. Families within the school's historical catchment boundary are well placed, but a boundary check with the council is recommended before applying.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 48.5% of pupils at John Spence Community High School are eligible for free school meals, above the national average of around 24%. This reflects the school's role in a higher-deprivation area of North Shields.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
North Tyneside publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Find North Tyneside school admissions →
John Spence Community High School: School Information
- Full address
- Preston Road, North Shields, NE29 9PU
- Local authority
- North Tyneside
- School type
- Academy converter
- Phase of education
- Secondary
- Age range
- 11-16 years
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 48.5% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 150195
Other Secondary Schools in North Shields
If John Spence Community High School is oversubscribed, these secondary schools in North Shields are the next closest alternatives.
Nearest secondary schools by distance
These are the secondary schools closest to John Spence Community High School by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
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Frequently Asked Questions: John Spence Community High School
What is the catchment area for John Spence Community High School? ▾
The catchment area for John Spence Community High School is the geographic zone North Tyneside uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. North Tyneside publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is John Spence Community High School oversubscribed? ▾
John Spence Community High School is operating close to its capacity of 885 places (92% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for John Spence Community High School? ▾
Admission to John Spence Community High School is managed by North Tyneside. When oversubscribed, places go to looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment area distance. Always verify the current policy with the council before applying.
What age range does John Spence Community High School cover? ▾
John Spence Community High School is a secondary school in North Shields, North Tyneside, serving pupils aged 11-16. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for John Spence Community High School? ▾
John Spence Community High School was rated Requires improvement by Ofsted in 2023. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.