Schools by area › County Durham › North Durham Academy
North Durham Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Sponsored academy
High Street, Stanley DH9 0TW · northdurhamacademy.co.uk · 01207 292180
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Jun 2022
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 39.8
- average Attainment 8 score. County Durham 44.1, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.7
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 935
- 55% of 1,700 places
- Local authority
- County Durham
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 50.6%
- First language not English
- 3.6%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 119 families put the school first and 163 places were offered; 100% 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 | 163 | 119 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 187 | 138 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 230 | 134 | 0.6 | 99% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 202 | 142 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 208 | 167 | 0.8 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 39.8, and 31.7% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across County Durham it was 44.1, and across England 46.
In 2018/19 the average A level result was grade D (20 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼39.8 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼31.7% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼51.1% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼6.7% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.21 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 9 | −2.1 |
| Sixth form college | 0.5 | — |
| Further education | 73.5 | +4.9 |
| Apprenticeship | 6.3 | +2.4 |
| Employment | 0.5 | −6 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 7.9 | −0.6 |
| Activity not captured | 2.1 | +0.8 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2018/19 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 students | D (20) | Below average -0.51 | |
| 8 students | D (20.5) | Below average -0.52 | |
| 17 students | Dist- (30) | Average -0.04 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017/18 | 42 | C- (25.8) | +0.13 |
| 2016/17 | 42 | D+ (23) | -0.40 |
| 2015/16 | 42 | D+ (24) | -0.23 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2019/20 | Since 2016/17 | |
|---|---|---|
| Apprenticeship | 83 | +68 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 17 | +8 |
Ofsted
North Durham Academy was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 21 June 2022, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 21 Jun 2022
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Oct 2018
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Oct 2018Requires 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 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective May 2017Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective May 2015Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Good 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement
What parents said
88% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (48 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 88%
- Replies
- 48
- 5% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 87% who raised concerns
based on 13 parents (27%) whose child was bullied
based on 11 parents (23%) with SEND