Berwick Academy
63%
Capacity
586
Pupils
N/A
Demand
About Berwick Academy
Berwick Academy is a state secondary for pupils aged 13 to 18 in Northumberland, currently home to 586 students against a capacity of 934. That leaves significant room for growth, and the school is not oversubscribed. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 28.4%, which is notably higher than the national average of around 23% and suggests the school serves a community with above-average levels of economic disadvantage. The school is mixed and non-denominational, with no religious character. Headteacher Ben Ryder leads a school that has held a Requires Improvement rating from Ofsted since its most recent graded inspection in February 2024, a rating it also received in its previous inspection in October 2021. The school does not appear to be a first-choice destination for many local families, and its intake reflects a population with higher-than-typical social challenges.
Academically, the school’s performance is well below local and national benchmarks. At Key Stage 4, its Progress 8 score is -0.85, meaning pupils achieve nearly a grade less per subject than similar students nationally. This places Berwick Academy 14th out of 16 schools in Northumberland, in the bottom 50% nationally, and in the 94th percentile of the worst-performing schools in the country. The local authority average Progress 8 score is -0.22, so the school is significantly behind its peers. Attainment 8 sits at 38.6, and only 29.5% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is very low at 9.6%, and just 3.8% achieved the full EBacc at grade 5 or above. At A-level, the school’s value-added score is -0.19, rated as Average, with a points per entry of 27.69, equivalent to a C- grade. Only 23 pupils took A-levels in the 2023/24 data.
The school offers a solid range of facilities, including a sports hall, astro turf, theatre, music rooms, and a sixth form centre. Sports provision covers hockey, football, netball, rugby, and tennis, while clubs include Debate, Chess, Gardening, DofE, and Model UN. SEND support is broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language issues, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. This suggests the school is equipped to support a wide range of additional needs. For families considering Berwick Academy, the key considerations are its capacity for growth, its below-average academic outcomes, and its role as a local option for pupils aged 13–18 in a relatively disadvantaged area. It may suit families who prioritise a broad SEND offer and a non-selective, inclusive environment over high academic rankings.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 13 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Adams Drive, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, TD15 2JF |
| Headteacher | Ben Ryder |
| Local Authority | Northumberland |
| Number of Pupils | 586 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 28.4% |
| School Capacity | 586 / 934 (63% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
13 Feb 2024Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 24 Apr 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.85)
2957th of 3,141
Nationally
121st of 142
In North East
14th of 16
In Northumberland
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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
24.0
'22/23
26.7
'23/24
27.7
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2334%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 121 pupils).
- FE college50%
- School sixth form (stay)34%
- Employment5%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Not sustained2%
95% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2339%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 31 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
16%
Russell Group
20%
Top-third HE
2%
Oxford / Cambridge
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)39%
- Employment29%
- Not sustained16%
- Further education10%
- Other education3%
- Apprenticeship3%
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.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology8
- Design and Technology (Product Design)7
- History5
- Mathematics5
- Computer Studies / Computing4
- English Literature3
- Physics3
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
10Facilities 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.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British91.6%
- White (other)5.5%
- Asian1.2%
- Mixed0.7%
- Black0.3%
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.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
5
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
4
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Berwick 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
School Admissions Timeline 2026/27
Key dates for primary, secondary and nursery applications
Contact Information
Adams Drive, Berwick-upon-Tweed
Northumberland, TD15 2JF
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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