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Benfield School

Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 4NUSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
1 Good · 3 Requires improvement
May 2025
Progress 8
-1.09
Well below average
−20+2
Competition
0.4×
Not oversubscribed
61 1st-choice / 161 places
Ranking
#3,049
of 3,141 nationally

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.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressBenfield Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 4NU
HeadteacherAnthony Martin
Local AuthorityNewcastle upon Tyne
Number of Pupils920
Free School Meals (FSM)65.4%
School Capacity920 / 1,035 (89% full)

The full report on this school

What 69 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

7 May 2025
View Report
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Requires improvement
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Requires improvement

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.

Source: Ofsted, 16 Jul 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

11
Art StudiosSwimming PoolScience LabsTheatreICT SuiteAstro TurfTennis CourtsSports HallGymnasiumPlaying FieldsChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

18

Sports

BadmintonRowingMartial ArtsAthleticsSwimmingCricketHockeyRugby

Clubs & Activities

CodingBook ClubDramaDuke of EdinburghChessYoung EnterpriseModel United NationsScience ClubChoirGardening

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

Resourced Provision
AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyResourced ProvisionOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Benfield School

Benfield School has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.