Mortimer Community College is a mainstream secondary school in South Shields, South Tyneside, for children and young people aged 11 to 16. In January 2026, 230 of its 1,139 pupils (20.2%) were getting SEN support and 16 (1.4%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–16
- 1,139 pupils
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in South Tyneside.
20.2% get SEN support
230 of 1,139 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Higher than the England average.
1.4% have an EHC plan
16 of 1,139 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia132
- Social, emotional and mental health48
- Autism27
- Speech, language and communication17
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Council-run school
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,139 (places for 1,156)
- Headteacher
- Mr Simon Hignett
- Free school meals
- 42.6% of pupils eligible
- Council
- South Tyneside
- School reference (URN)
- 108727
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask South Tyneside council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Graded by area, January 2025
Inspected in January 2025. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationRequires improvement
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementRequires improvement
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Reading Road, South Shields, NE33 4UG
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Park View School Special school · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 0.4 miles
- Harton Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 0.9 miles
- Bamburgh School Special school · Ages 3–16 1.1 miles
- Lord Blyton Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.4 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Mortimer Primary School Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 18.2%, EHC plans 0.7% 0.1 miles
- St Wilfrid's RC College Secondary · Ages 11–19 · SEN support 11.6%, EHC plans 1.2% 0.4 miles
- Ashley Academy Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 22.2%, EHC plans 1.3% 0.4 miles
All mainstream schools in South Tyneside SEND schools in South Tyneside
Questions about Mortimer Community College
How many pupils at Mortimer Community College have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 230 of the 1,139 pupils (20.2%) were getting SEN support and 16 (1.4%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Mortimer Community College?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (132 pupils), social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (48 pupils) and autism (27 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Mortimer Community College?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at Mortimer Community College?
Through South Tyneside council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to Mortimer Community College?
You can ask for Mortimer Community College to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does Mortimer Community College have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Harton Academy, about 0.9 miles away.
Where is Mortimer Community College?
Reading Road, South Shields, NE33 4UG, in South Tyneside.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.