Ashington Academy
77%
Capacity
966
Pupils
1.4x
Demand
About Ashington Academy
Ashington Academy’s Progress 8 score of 0.46 sits well above the Northumberland local authority average of -0.22 for secondary schools, placing it second out of 27 schools of its type in the area. That gap of nearly seven-tenths of a grade per subject is significant and puts the school in the top 25% nationally by this measure. It’s a strong academic outlier in a county where the typical school sees pupils making slightly less progress than the national average. The school’s attainment 8 score of 48.8, combined with 55.1% of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and maths, reinforces the picture of a school that is comfortably outperforming its local peers. Its EBacc entry rate of 68.3% is also notably high, suggesting a broad academic curriculum is the norm here.
Ofsted rated the school Good across all categories in its 2022 graded inspection, a marked improvement from its previous Inadequate rating in 2015. Behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management all received Good grades, as did the sixth-form provision. The sixth form itself performs well: a value-added score of 0.05 is in line with the national average, and pupils achieved an average grade of B across their best three A-levels, with points per entry at 37.98, equivalent to a B-. With 42 pupils in the sixth-form cohort, it’s a relatively small but academically solid offer. The school’s Progress 8 banding is rated ‘Above average’, and its strongest subject-area progress was in open subjects (0.55) and maths (0.51), while English and EBacc subjects both came in at 0.38.
The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 it received 255 applications for 184 places, with 170 first-preference offers made from 171 first-preference applications. That 1.39 oversubscription ratio suggests strong local demand. Facilities are generous for a state school, including a swimming pool, theatre, chapel, and a dedicated sixth-form centre. Sports provision is broad, with options from martial arts to rugby and gymnastics, and there are over a dozen clubs including Model UN, Young Enterprise, and a gardening club. SEND support covers a wide range of needs, from dyslexia and autism to physical disabilities and multi-sensory impairment. With 34.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake and achieves strong results across the board, making it a particularly strong choice for families in Northumberland who want a high-performing comprehensive with a genuine sixth form.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Green Lane, Ashington, Northumberland, NE63 8DH |
| Headteacher | Yvonne Weston |
| Local Authority | Northumberland |
| Number of Pupils | 966 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 34.9% |
| School Capacity | 966 / 1,250 (77% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
23 Mar 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 19 May 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.46)
547th of 3,141
Nationally
11th of 142
In North East
2nd of 16
In Northumberland
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
40.4
'22/23
30.2
'23/24
38.0
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where school leavers go
2022/2368%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 37 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
15%
Russell Group
18%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)68%
- Apprenticeship11%
- Employment11%
- Not sustained8%
- Further education3%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
20Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed184
255
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
171 families put this school as their 1st choice (67% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British93.6%
- Asian1.7%
- Mixed1.3%
- White (other)1.0%
- Black0.4%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
6
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
5
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ashington Academy
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Green Lane, Ashington
Northumberland, NE63 8DH
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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