Outwood Academy Acklam

About Outwood Academy Acklam

Outwood Academy Acklam is a large secondary school in Middlesbrough, currently home to 1,185 pupils against a capacity of 1,350, so there is some headroom in the buildings. The school serves a community with significant economic disadvantage: 52.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average and a clear signal of the intake profile. Demand for places is strong — for the 2025/26 admissions cycle, the school received 688 applications for 227 places, making it oversubscribed with a ratio of 3.03 applicants per place. Of those, 145 families put it as their first preference, and all first-preference applicants were offered a place. That suggests the school is a popular choice locally, particularly among families who prioritise it, but not so oversubscribed that it’s out of reach for those who list it second or third. The school is non-denominational, mixed, and caters for pupils aged 11 to 16 with no sixth form on site.

Academically, Outwood Academy Acklam sits in a mixed position within Middlesbrough. Its Progress 8 score of -0.23 is below the national average but comfortably above the local authority average of -0.45, ranking it third out of seven secondary schools in the borough. In the North East region, it ranks 75th out of 142 schools, and nationally it sits in the 66th percentile. The Attainment 8 score is 41.3, and 61.8% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though that drops to 40.7% at grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate is low at 13.7%, with only 11.8% achieving the full EBacc at grade 4 or above. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2025, the school was rated Good across all four graded areas — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management — a consistent result compared with its previous Good rating in 2015.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, and a sports hall, plus specialist spaces like science labs, art studios, music rooms, and an ICT suite. Clubs and activities are varied, with options from Model UN and Young Enterprise to coding, gardening, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The Parent View survey, based on 44 responses between September 2024 and September 2025, shows a mixed picture: 66% of parents agree or strongly agree their child is happy, and 73% feel their child is safe, but only 55% would recommend the school to another parent. Concerns about behaviour and how concerns are handled are notable — 36% disagree that concerns are dealt with properly. The school has a broad SEND offer, with provisions for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support, alongside a resourced provision. This is a school that suits families who value a wide range of extracurricular opportunities and a strong local reputation, but who are realistic about the challenges of a high-disadvantage intake.

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