The King's Academy
93%
Capacity
1,416
Pupils
2.9x
Demand
About The King's Academy
The King’s Academy in Middlesbrough is a large secondary school with a Christian character, currently educating 1,416 pupils against a capacity of 1,530, meaning it is very close to full. The school serves a community with significant economic disadvantage: 38.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a figure well above the national average. Demand for places is strong — for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 658 total applications for 226 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.91. Of those, 241 were first-preference applications, and 209 first-preference offers were made, indicating that while the school is popular, not every family who wants a place gets one. The school is mixed and non-selective, taking pupils from age 11 through to 18, with a dedicated Sixth Form Centre on site.
Academically, the school’s most recent data from 2023/24 shows a Progress 8 score of -0.4, meaning pupils overall achieve slightly below the national average progress from Key Stage 2. This places it 4th out of 7 schools in the Middlesbrough local authority, and 97th out of 142 in the North East region. The local authority average Progress 8 is -0.45, so the school is marginally above that. Attainment 8 sits at 41.5, and 59.2% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, dropping to 42.4% at grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 3.69, with 39.9% of pupils entering the EBacc combination. At A-level, the school’s value-added score is -0.22, with an average points per entry of 31.87 (equivalent to a C+ grade). The best three A-levels averaged a grade C. Ofsted last inspected in 2022 and rated the school Good overall, with leadership and management also Good; the previous graded inspection in 2013 also gave a Good rating.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including art studios, music rooms, a theatre, chapel, and playing fields, with sports such as rowing, hockey, swimming, and cricket on offer. There is a strong set of extracurricular clubs including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model UN, coding, and Young Enterprise. The school has a substantial SEND provision, with a dedicated SEN unit and resourced provision, supporting needs from dyslexia and moderate learning difficulties to autistic spectrum disorder and physical disabilities. This makes it a practical choice for families who want a large, inclusive secondary with a Christian ethos and a sixth form, particularly those in Middlesbrough who value a school that is oversubscribed but still accessible. The high FSM percentage suggests the school is deeply embedded in its local community, and the range of clubs and sports indicates a focus on broader personal development beyond the classroom.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Christian |
| Address | Stainton Way, Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough, TS8 0GA |
| Headteacher | Simon Reader |
| Local Authority | Middlesbrough |
| Number of Pupils | 1,416 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 38.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,416 / 1,530 (93% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 Mar 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (24 Mar 2022): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 23 May 2013. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.40)
2457th of 3,141
Nationally
97th of 142
In North East
4th of 7
In Middlesbrough
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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
37.4
'22/23
34.2
'23/24
31.9
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
2022/2337%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 203 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)37%
- FE college37%
- Not sustained9%
- Sixth form college7%
- Employment4%
- Apprenticeship3%
91% 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
2022/2370%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 67 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
20%
Russell Group
22%
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)70%
- Employment9%
- Not sustained7%
- Further education6%
- 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- Biology19
- Sociology18
- Psychology17
- Mathematics14
- Chemistry13
- History11
- Business Studies:Single10
- Design and Technology (Product Design)10
- Geography10
- English Language and Literature8
- Physics8
- Economics7
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
SEN UnitSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed226
658
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
241 families put this school as their 1st choice (37% 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 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 British82.7%
- Asian7.1%
- Mixed4.6%
- White (other)1.4%
- Black0.1%
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.
8
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 The King's 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
Stainton Way, Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough, TS8 0GA
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