Gosforth Academy

Gosforth Academy, located in Newcastle upon Tyne, has achieved a good overall effectiveness rating in its first inspection under the new framework. The school fosters a calm and respectful environment where students feel safe and are encouraged to achieve their academic potential. Leaders prioritize high expectations and provide a well-structured curriculum, particularly excelling in sixth-form education with strong university progression opportunities. While the school is noted for its effective support for students with higher needs, there are instances of inconsistency in addressing the needs of lower-level SEND students, and some concerns about communication with parents and staff have been identified.

Strengths

• Calm and orderly learning environment
• Strong relationships between staff and students
• Ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum
• Effective support for students with higher levels of SEND
• Comprehensive careers provision
• Extensive opportunities for extracurricular activities
• Positive feedback from sixth-form students about enrichment opportunities

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent use of assessment to identify gaps in knowledge
• Communication with staff and parents regarding lower-level SEND support needs improvement
• Variability in teacher effectiveness in using assessments and checking pupils' understanding

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 Gosforth Academy attended 91.2% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 20.5% 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, 3.2% of pupils at Gosforth Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 3 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 Gosforth Academy had 18.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.0% 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, 11.5% of pupils at Gosforth Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.3% 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 2024–25 Gosforth Academy received £7,573 and spent £8,204 for each of its 1,927 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,138,000 (£591 per pupil).

Across all 6 schools of The Gosforth Federated Academies Limited, income was £8,092 and spending £8,218 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne · Newcastle upon Tyne local authority: places and applications

Gosforth Academy is part of The Gosforth Federated Academies Limited, which runs 6 schools. The nearest others:

• Gosforth Junior High Academy Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
• Jesmond Park Academy Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
• Great Park Academy Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
• Callerton Academy Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
• North Gosforth Academy Newcastle-Upon-Tyne

What is Gosforth Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Gosforth Academy is Good, from an inspection in September 2022.

When was Gosforth Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Gosforth Academy was last inspected in September 2022.

How many pupils does Gosforth Academy have?

Gosforth Academy has 1,925 pupils on roll.

What age range does Gosforth Academy cover?

Gosforth Academy for pupils aged 13 to 18.

Where is Gosforth Academy?

Gosforth Academy is at Knightsbridge, Great North Road, Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE3 2JH.