Benfield School
89%
Capacity
920
Pupils
2.1x
Demand
About Benfield School
Benfield School’s headline Progress 8 score of -1.09 places it well below the Newcastle upon Tyne local authority average of -0.4, a gap that signals significant challenges in adding academic value compared with other secondary schools in the area. This ranks Benfield 9th out of 11 schools in the LA, putting it in the bottom half locally and in the bottom 3% nationally. The school’s Attainment 8 score of 32.7 is also low, and just 26.3% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. With 65.4% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with high levels of disadvantage, which contextualises these figures but doesn’t change the fact that, on academic measures, Benfield is struggling relative to its peers.
In its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2025, the school was judged to require improvement overall, though inspectors noted that personal development is good. Behaviour and attitudes, leadership and management, and quality of education all require improvement. The previous inspection in 2023 also rated the school as requiring improvement across all areas. Parent View responses from 69 families paint a mixed picture: while 62% of parents agreed that there is a good range of subjects available, only 38% would recommend the school. Concerns about behaviour are evident — 53% of parents disagreed that the school ensures pupils are well behaved, and 36% disagreed that bullying is dealt with effectively. On the positive side, 58% agreed that the school has high expectations for their child, and 58% agreed their child does well.
Benfield is a mixed 11-16 secondary school with no sixth form, and it was oversubscribed for 2025/26 entry, receiving 336 applications for 161 places, with 61 first-preference offers. Facilities include a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, tennis courts, and a gymnasium, plus a range of clubs from coding and chess to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Model UN. The school offers a broad set of SEND provisions, including support for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. For families weighing up options, Benfield is a school that clearly serves a high-needs community and offers solid facilities and extracurricular breadth, but its academic outcomes and Ofsted rating mean it will not be the right fit for every family.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Benfield Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 4NU |
| Headteacher | Anthony Martin |
| Local Authority | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Number of Pupils | 920 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 65.4% |
| School Capacity | 920 / 1,035 (89% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
7 May 2025Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Source: Ofsted, 16 Jul 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-1.09)
3049th of 3,141
Nationally
133rd of 142
In North East
9th of 11
In Newcastle upon Tyne
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less 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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2324%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 25 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
10%
Russell Group
10%
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)24%
- Further education24%
- Employment24%
- Not sustained20%
- Apprenticeship4%
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.
Ofsted Parent View
69 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed161
336
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
61 families put this school as their 1st choice (18% 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 half 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
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White British57.5%
- Asian8.8%
- White (other)5.9%
- Mixed4.2%
- Black3.0%
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.
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.
9
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
7
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 Benfield School
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
Benfield Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 4NU
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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