Boldon School

Boldon School is improving after a challenging period shaped by the pandemic and several changes in leadership. Recently appointed leaders are skilled, committed and have brought greater stability and higher expectations, but pupils have not achieved as well as they should. Inspectors found personal development to be a strength, while the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management still require improvement. This was the school's first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and the current headteacher was appointed in July 2024. Pupils benefit from high-quality pastoral care, feel safe and happy, and most behave well. The curriculum is broad and sequenced, expectations for pupils with SEND are high, and pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs, visits and a detailed careers programme. Safeguarding is effective. However, curriculum delivery is inconsistent: some teachers do not check or address gaps in pupils' knowledge, and some activities and explanations do not secure deep understanding, which is reflected in examination results below national averages. The reading strategy is underdeveloped, and not all weaker readers get the support they need. Attendance remains too high, particularly for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, and some staff do not apply the behaviour policy consistently, leading to low-level disruption and some pupils quietly disengaging. Pupils with SEND are identified appropriately, but inconsistent curriculum delivery means they do not achieve as well as they should. Leaders have a clear, inclusive vision and staff value the increased focus on workload and wellbeing.

Strengths

• High-quality pastoral care with staff who care deeply for pupils
• Pupils feel safe and happy, and parents appreciate the support
• Most pupils behave well and relationships between pupils and staff are warm
• Broad, well-sequenced curriculum with increased ambition in some areas
• High expectations for pupils with SEND, who typically study the same curriculum as peers
• Carefully sequenced PSHE curriculum covering topics such as online safety age-appropriately
• Wide range of clubs, sports teams, educational visits and a detailed careers programme
• Clear, inclusive vision from leaders and increased focus on staff workload and wellbeing
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum delivery is variable and teachers do not consistently check or address gaps and misconceptions
• Some learning activities, explanations and questions do not secure deep understanding
• Public examination results are below national averages
• Reading strategy is underdeveloped and weaker readers are not identified and supported quickly enough
• Staff have limited information and training to support pupils' reading, and the reading culture needs development
• Pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they should because of inconsistent curriculum delivery
• Some staff do not apply the behaviour policy consistently
• Some pupils cause low-level disruption or quietly disengage from learning
• Absence remains too high, particularly for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils
• The school's tracking and analysis of attendance need development

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Boldon School attended 87.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 33.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 13.5% of pupils at Boldon School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 7 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Boldon School had 14.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.2% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 23.0% of pupils at Boldon School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Boldon School received £9,503 and spent £9,128 for each of its 1,048 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £1,067,000 (-£1,018 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in South Tyneside · South Tyneside local authority: places and applications

What is Boldon School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Boldon School is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in March 2025.

When was Boldon School last inspected by Ofsted?

Boldon School was last inspected in March 2025.

How many pupils does Boldon School have?

Boldon School has 1,043 pupils on roll.

What age range does Boldon School cover?

Boldon School for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Boldon School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 38.5, and 28% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Boldon School?

Boldon School is at New Road, Boldon Colliery, Tyne and Wear, NE35 9DZ.