Bellingham Middle School and Sports College
21%
Capacity
51
Pupils
N/A
Demand
About Bellingham Middle School and Sports College
Bellingham Middle School and Sports College is a state-funded mixed secondary in Northumberland, serving pupils aged 9 to 13. It sits within a local authority of 27 secondary schools, where only two hold an Outstanding rating. Among its top-performing peers in the area are The King Edward VI School, Ashington Academy and Queen Elizabeth High School, though Bellingham takes a notably different shape: with just 51 pupils against a capacity of 240, it is one of the smallest schools in the county. The school has a Good rating from Ofsted, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement judgement in 2017. Its most recent graded inspection in 2019 rated leadership, behaviour, personal development and the quality of education all as Good, and an ungraded visit in 2025 confirmed that some aspects of the school are not as strong, though the overall effectiveness remains Good. Over a third of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average.
Academic outcomes data for Bellingham is limited, but the school’s Ofsted breakdown offers some insight. In its 2019 graded inspection, the quality of education was rated Good, as were behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. The school does not have a sixth form, so there are no A-Level results to report, and no Progress 8 or KS2 SATs figures are available in the data. The local authority average Progress 8 score is -0.22, which provides a rough benchmark for the area, though Bellingham’s own score is not recorded. Parent views, collected between September 2024 and September 2025 from 13 respondents, show mixed feelings: 62% would recommend the school, and 92% agree or strongly agree that their child feels safe. However, only 38% agree that the school makes them aware of what their child will learn, and 46% disagree with that statement. On behaviour, 93% agree the school ensures pupils are well behaved, and 69% said bullying was not applicable to their child.
The school’s facilities include a library, dining hall, sports hall, music rooms, science labs and a gymnasium, and it offers a wide range of sports from cricket and rugby to martial arts and cross country. Clubs cover drama, choir, coding, gardening, film and Young Enterprise. SEND provision is listed for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, hearing impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. However, no parents responded to the SEND support question in the Parent View survey, so it is not possible to gauge satisfaction in that area. With only 51 pupils on roll and a capacity of 240, the school is significantly undersubscribed, which may appeal to families seeking a very small, community-focused setting where individual attention is more feasible. It is not a boarding school and has no nursery or sixth form provision.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 9 to 13 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Redesmouth Road, Hexham, Northumberland, NE48 2EN |
| Headteacher | Steve Gibson |
| Local Authority | Northumberland |
| Number of Pupils | 51 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 31.4% |
| School Capacity | 51 / 240 (21% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
2 Apr 2025Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (2 Apr 2025): Some aspects not as strong
Source: Ofsted, 22 Oct 2019. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Ofsted Parent View
13 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
6Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
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 British100.0%
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.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
2
Total schools
0
Oversubscribed
1
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 Bellingham Middle School and Sports College
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
School Admissions Timeline 2026/27
Key dates for primary, secondary and nursery applications
Contact Information
Redesmouth Road, Hexham
Northumberland, NE48 2EN
Redesmouth Road, Hexham
Northumberland, NE48 2EN
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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