Consett Academy

Consett Academy has shown significant improvements since its last inspection, moving from an 'Requires Improvement' grade to 'Good' across all evaluated areas. The school has a strong sense of community with leaders and staff maintaining high expectations for student achievement and behaviour. Pupils feel supported and valued, participating actively in initiatives such as the 'Consett Way' and other student-led activities. While the overall quality of education is commendable, there are notable challenges, particularly in addressing the needs of some students with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Despite effective curriculum planning, additional focus is necessary to better adapt approaches for SEND students, ensuring they achieve their full potential.

Strengths

• High expectations for pupil achievement and behaviour
• Strong sense of community fostered by school leaders
• Positive behaviour and culture throughout the academy
• Effective training and support provided to staff
• Improving literacy strategies having a significant impact
• Diverse curriculum effectively prepares pupils for future opportunities
• High-quality support for sixth-form students

Areas for Improvement

• Inadequate adaptations in curriculum for students with SEND
• Limited opportunities for debate in some lessons
• Insufficient oversight of alternative provision for some pupils

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 Consett Academy attended 91.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 26.8% 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, 9.9% of pupils at Consett Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 10 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 Consett Academy had 17.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 21.1% 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, 11.0% of pupils at Consett Academy 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 2024–25 Consett Academy received £8,391 and spent £7,826 for each of its 1,492 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £2,206,000 (£1,478 per pupil).

Across all 7 schools of Connect Multi-Academy Trust, income was £9,020 and spending £8,455 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 Consett · County Durham local authority: places and applications

Consett Academy is part of Connect Multi-Academy Trust, which runs 8 schools. The nearest others:

• Castleside Primary School Consett
• Catchgate Primary School Stanley
• North Durham Academy Stanley
• Beamish Primary School Stanley
• Pelton Community Primary School Chester Le Street
• Wellfield School Wingate
• Wingate Primary School Wingate

What is Consett Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Consett Academy is Good, from an inspection in June 2023.

When was Consett Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Consett Academy was last inspected in June 2023.

How many pupils does Consett Academy have?

Consett Academy has 1,493 pupils on roll.

What age range does Consett Academy cover?

Consett Academy for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Consett Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 47.2, and 41% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Consett Academy?

Consett Academy is at Ashdale Road, Consett, County Durham, DH8 6LZ.