Northfield School and Sports College

Northfield School and Sports College demonstrates a good overall performance with a strong focus on personal development and a broad, balanced curriculum. Leaders and teachers maintain high expectations for pupils, fostering an environment of respect and resilience. Students exhibit positive behavior and engage well in school activities, with numerous opportunities for extracurricular involvement. However, there are concerns regarding the attendance of some pupils and a rise in suspensions, which leaders are addressing through increased pastoral support and monitoring.

Strengths

• Strong emphasis on personal development and school values
• High-quality, well-structured curriculum
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
• Good progress in most lessons due to effective teaching
• Strong and effective pastoral care for students
• Well-structured careers programme and PSHE education

Areas for Improvement

• Some teachers lack expertise in subjects outside their main specialism
• Pupil attendance remains a challenge for some individuals

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 Northfield School and Sports College attended 89.9% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 30.0% 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, 8.8% of pupils at Northfield School and Sports College were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 14 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 Northfield School and Sports College had 18.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.2% 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, 12.8% of pupils at Northfield School and Sports College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.5% 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 Northfield School and Sports College received £8,140 and spent £8,101 for each of its 1,522 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £549,000 (£361 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 Billingham · Stockton-on-Tees local authority: places and applications

What is Northfield School and Sports College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Northfield School and Sports College is Good, from an inspection in March 2023.

When was Northfield School and Sports College last inspected by Ofsted?

Northfield School and Sports College was last inspected in March 2023.

How many pupils does Northfield School and Sports College have?

Northfield School and Sports College has 1,522 pupils on roll.

What age range does Northfield School and Sports College cover?

Northfield School and Sports College for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Northfield School and Sports College's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 44.8, and 44% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Northfield School and Sports College?

Northfield School and Sports College is at Thames Road, Billingham, Teesside, TS22 5EG.