Schools by area › County Durham › Norman Cornish Academy
Norman Cornish Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Special academy
Whitworth Lane, Spennymoor DL16 7QW · horizonstrust.org.uk · 01388 811178
On the mapSearch near DL16 7QW
Overview
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement
- 2019 framework · inspected Dec 2023
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 5.7
- average Attainment 8 score. County Durham 44.1, England 46
- Pupils
- 64
- 85% of 75 places
- Local authority
- County Durham
- Free school meals
- 78.1%
- First language not English
- 1.6%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 5.7, and 0% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across County Durham it was 44.1, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼5.7 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼0.0% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼0.0% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼0.0% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼0.26 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 131905)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| Further education | 47.1 | +8.2 |
| Other education | 11.8 | +6.2 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 17.6 | −26.8 |
| Activity not captured | 23.5 | +17.9 |
Published for the predecessor school (URN 131905)
Ofsted
Norman Cornish Academy was judged Requires improvement at its last graded inspection, on 5 December 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Requires improvement
- Inspected
- 5 Dec 2023
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 131905)
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Requires improvement |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Requires improvement |
| Personal development | Requires improvement |
| Leadership and management | Requires improvement |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Jun 2019
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 131905), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
- Jun 2022Monitoring visitEffective action
- Mar 2021Monitoring visitEffective action
Before September 2019
Jun 2019Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 131905)
Mar 2017Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 131905)
Oct 2012Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 131905)