North Durham Academy
57%
Capacity
976
Pupils
1.3x
Demand
About North Durham Academy
North Durham Academy is a mixed state secondary school in County Durham, serving pupils aged 11 to 16. Within the local authority, it ranks 27th out of 31 schools of the same type, placing it in the bottom half of the county’s secondary landscape. The top-performing peers in the area, based on Progress 8 scores, are Tanfield School, St Leonard’s Catholic School in Durham, and The Academy at Shotton Hall. The school is led by headteacher Mark Gray and has a capacity of 1,700 pupils, though current numbers sit at 976, leaving significant room for growth. Over half of its students — 50.7% — are eligible for free school meals, which is notably high and reflects the academy’s role in a community with considerable socio-economic challenges. The school is non-religious and does not have a sixth form, so pupils move on elsewhere after Year 11.
Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2022 rated it Good overall, with Good marks for quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management. This represents a clear improvement from its previous inspection in 2018, when it was rated Requires Improvement. In terms of exam outcomes for 2023/24, the school’s Progress 8 score is -0.43, which is below the national average and also below the County Durham local authority average of -0.21. The Attainment 8 score sits at 39.8, and just 27.5% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is low at 18.5%, and only 4.8% of pupils achieved the EBacc at grade 5 or above. Nationally, the school ranks in the bottom 20% for Progress 8, at 2,502 out of 3,141 schools.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a library, sports hall, swimming pool, theatre, and astro turf, as well as playing fields and a chapel. Sports on offer include hockey, netball, football, gymnastics, and tennis, and there are clubs for drama, science, art, film, and debate. For pupils with additional needs, the school provides support for a wide spectrum of SEND, including specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health needs. Admissions for 2025/26 show the school is oversubscribed: 248 applications were received for 187 places, with 138 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.33. This suggests strong local demand despite the academic rankings, likely driven by its improved Ofsted rating and the range of facilities and support it offers families in the area.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | High Street, Stanley, County Durham, DH9 0TW |
| Headteacher | Mark Gray |
| Local Authority | County Durham |
| Number of Pupils | 976 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 50.7% |
| School Capacity | 976 / 1,700 (57% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
21 Jun 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Source: Ofsted, 21 Sept 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.43)
2502nd of 3,141
Nationally
101st of 142
In North East
27th of 31
In County Durham
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make 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 GCSE leavers go
2022/2314%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 146 pupils).
- FE college54%
- Not sustained22%
- School sixth form (stay)14%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Employment4%
77% 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.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
12Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed187
248
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
138 families put this school as their 1st choice (56% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:00
Source: northdurhamacademy.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British93.5%
- White (other)1.3%
- Mixed1.1%
- Asian0.5%
- 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.
10
Total schools
8
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About North Durham 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
High Street, Stanley
County Durham, DH9 0TW
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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