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Walker Riverside Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy
Waverdale Avenue, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE6 4AW · wra.tynecoast.academy · 0191 295 8660
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected Sept 2024
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 35.5
- average Attainment 8 score. Newcastle upon Tyne 43.9, England 46
- Demand for places
- 1.3
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,101
- 85% of 1,301 places
- Local authority
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 70.4%
- First language not English
- 14.4%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 276 families put the school first and 219 places were offered; 74% 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 | 219 | 276 | 1.3▲ | 74% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 219 | 265 | 1.2▲ | 78% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 220 | 299 | 1.4▲ | 69% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 220 | 280 | 1.3▲ | 75% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 220 | 193 | 0.9 | 99% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 35.5, and 21.9% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Newcastle upon Tyne it was 43.9, and across England 46.
In 2018/19 the average A level result was grade C (29.5 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼35.5 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼21.9% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼47.5% | 64.8% | ||
| ●41.6% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.08 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 108525)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 5.7 | −3.8 |
| Further education | 67 | −0.3 |
| Other education | 0.5 | 0 |
| Apprenticeship | 5.2 | +2.4 |
| Employment | 1.4 | −2.4 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 14.6 | +3.2 |
| Activity not captured | 5.7 | +1 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
Applied general average grade
| 2023/24 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 students | Dist- (32.2) | Average +0.07 |
| Earlier years: Applied general | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 12 | Dist (35.7) | — |
| 2018/19 | 23 | Dist+ (37.2) | +0.51 |
| 2017/18 | 16 | Merit- (22) | -0.60 |
| 2016/17 | 29 | — | +0.85 |
| 2015/16 | 19 | — | +0.59 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 22.2 | −6.4 |
| Further education | 11.1 | −22.2 |
| Apprenticeship | 11.1 | — |
| Employment | 44.4 | +11.1 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 11.1 | +6.3 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Walker Riverside Academy on 24 September 2024 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 24 Sept 2024
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Requires improvement |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Jun 2022
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 108525), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Jun 2022Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Sixth form Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Sept 2017Monitoring visit
Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 108525)
May 2014Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Dec 2012Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Good
What parents said
83% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (53 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 83%
- Replies
- 53
- 5% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 79% who raised concerns
based on the 40% who had a child bullied
based on 20 parents (38%) with SEND