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NCEA Duke's Secondary School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–19 · Sponsored academy
Academy Road, Ashington NE63 9FZ · ncea.org.uk · 01670 816111
On the mapSearch near NE63 9FZ
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Apr 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 32
- average Attainment 8 score. Northumberland 44, England 46
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 980
- 85% of 1,150 places
- Local authority
- Northumberland
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 50.2%
- First language not English
- 4.1%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 171 families put the school first and 170 places were offered; 99% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 170 | 171 | 1▲ | 99% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 187 | 203 | 1.1▲ | 92% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 190 | 221 | 1.2▲ | 86% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 189 | 191 | 1▲ | 98% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 190 | 176 | 0.9 | 99% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 32, and 20.7% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Northumberland it was 44, and across England 46.
In 2017/18, 73% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 12% the higher standard.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C- (26.3 points per entry).
Key stage 2 results
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2017/18 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲73% | 64% | ||
| ●12% | 10% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●106 | 105 | ||
| ●106 | 104 | ||
| ●106 | 106 | ||
Progress scores 2017/18: reading +1.10, writing 0.00, maths +2.20
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼32 | 46 | ||
| ▼20.7% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼41.5% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼11.2% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼2.54 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 31.1 | +2.3 |
| Further education | 52.2 | +9 |
| Apprenticeship | 3.9 | −5.7 |
| Employment | 1.7 | −2.4 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 6.7 | −5.6 |
| Activity not captured | 4.4 | +3 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 students | C- (26.3) | Average -0.33 | |
| 19 students | C- (26.2) | Below average -0.35 | |
| 29 students | Merit+ (28.9) | Average -0.23 | |
| 17 students | Dist+ (40.2) | Above average +0.59 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 14 | C- (27.6) | -0.14 |
| 2022/23 | 21 | D+ (22) | — |
| 2021/22 | 15 | C- (25.3) | — |
| 2018/19 | 16 | D (19.5) | -0.41 |
| 2017/18 | 32 | D (20.8) | -0.39 |
| 2016/17 | 31 | C- (25.2) | -0.50 |
| 2015/16 | 29 | D+ (22.2) | -0.23 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 24.2 | +8 |
| Further education | 6.1 | +3.4 |
| Apprenticeship | 18.2 | +4.7 |
| Employment | 24.2 | −8.2 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 27.3 | −5.1 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected NCEA Duke's Secondary School on 28 April 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention
- Achievement: Needs attention
- Attendance and behaviour: Needs attention
- Personal development and well-being: Expected standard
- Post-16 provision: Expected standard
- Leadership and governance: Expected standard
- Inspected
- 28 Apr 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Needs attention |
| Achievement | Needs attention |
| Attendance and behaviour | Needs attention |
| Personal development and well-being | Expected standard |
| Post-16 provision | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Jun 2023
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
- Nov 2024Monitoring visitEffective action
Jun 2023Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth form Good Safeguarding Effective - Jan 2022Monitoring visitEffective action
- Jan 2021Monitoring visitEffective action
Mar 2020Inadequate
Quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Sixth form Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
- Dec 2018Monitoring visitEffective action
Nov 2017Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Good 16 to 19 study programmes Good Safeguarding Effective Sept 2015Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good Early years Requires improvement 16 to 19 study programmes Good Safeguarding Effective
What parents said
55% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (44 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 55%
- Replies
- 44
- 4% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 91% who raised concerns
based on the 66% who had a child bullied
based on 25 parents (57%) with SEND