Acklam Grange School

About Acklam Grange School

Acklam Grange School is a popular choice among Middlesbrough families, and the numbers back that up. For entry in 2025/26, the school received 400 first-preference applications for 290 places, with a total of 1,009 applications overall. That works out at 3.48 applications for every available spot, a clear sign of strong local demand. While the school doesn't publish a parent recommendation percentage, the oversubscription ratio alone tells you it's a school that families actively want. The school is a large, mixed secondary for ages 11 to 16, with 1,456 pupils on roll, and it doesn't have a sixth form. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in 2022, confirmed it remains Good overall, with leadership and management judged Outstanding. That's a notable improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2016, when it was rated Good, and before that, in 2013, it had been Requires Improvement.

Academically, Acklam Grange is the top-performing school in Middlesbrough by Progress 8, ranking first out of seven schools in the local authority. Its Progress 8 score of 0.33 is well above the local authority average of -0.45, meaning pupils here make significantly more progress than their peers across Middlesbrough. Nationally, that score places it in the top 25 per cent of all schools. The Attainment 8 score sits at 48.3, and 68.5 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, with 46.2 per cent hitting grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 4.16, and 31.5 per cent of pupils entered the EBacc combination of subjects. Progress is strong across the board, with particularly high scores in the open bucket of qualifications, and the school's confidence interval suggests this positive progress is statistically secure.

The school offers a broad range of facilities, including art studios, science labs, music rooms, a sports hall, tennis courts, and playing fields. Sports on offer include hockey, football, rugby, swimming, and rowing, and there are plenty of clubs such as choir, orchestra, drama, gardening, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. For families with children who have additional needs, the SEND provision is extensive, covering dyslexia, moderate to severe learning difficulties, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities, plus a resourced provision. With 32.4 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake. Given its strong academic results, high demand, and comprehensive SEND support, Acklam Grange is a solid choice for families who want a large, inclusive secondary that delivers above-average progress in a city where that's not the norm.

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