The King Edward VI School

The King Edward VI School is a mixed 13–18 secondary academy in Morpeth and part of the Cheviot Learning Trust. This was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first section 5 inspection since 2014; under current arrangements, no overall effectiveness grade was awarded. Inspectors found a highly inclusive school where pupils are positive, behave exceptionally well and benefit from strong relationships and high expectations. The curriculum is ambitious, including for pupils with SEND, staff subject knowledge is strong, and sixth-form provision and personal development are outstanding. Careers and enrichment are particularly strong, and governance and safeguarding are effective. However, two areas need improvement. Strategies to improve attendance are not sufficiently effective for some disadvantaged pupils, and absence is affecting their achievement. In addition, teaching in key stages 3 and 4 does not always check that pupils have securely understood key concepts before moving on, leaving some pupils with gaps in knowledge. Overall, the school remains strong, with exemplary personal development and sixth form and good quality of education, behaviour and leadership, but it should address these attendance and assessment-checking issues.

Strengths

• Highly inclusive atmosphere where pupils feel valued and can be themselves
• Exemplary pupil behaviour and mutual respect between staff and pupils
• Strong relationships and high expectations across the school
• Highly ambitious curriculum, including for pupils with SEND
• Effective staff development and excellent subject knowledge
• Skilled support and adaptations for pupils with SEND
• Outstanding sixth-form provision with motivated, independent students
• Vast and carefully considered extra-curricular enrichment
• Exemplary personal development curriculum
• Highly effective careers provision leading to high-quality destinations
• Pupils read widely and students mentor younger pupils
• Effective governance and trustees with clear understanding and staff well-being focus
• Effective safeguarding arrangements

Areas for Improvement

• Attendance strategies are not sufficiently effective for some disadvantaged pupils, whose absence affects achievement
• In key stages 3 and 4, teachers do not consistently check pupils’ understanding of key concepts before moving on, leaving knowledge gaps

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 The King Edward VI School attended 89.9% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 22.2% 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, 2.9% of pupils at The King Edward VI School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was 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 The King Edward VI School had 18.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.8% 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, 14.3% of pupils at The King Edward VI School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.4% 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 The King Edward VI School received £8,424 and spent £8,346 for each of its 1,342 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,432,000 (£1,067 per pupil).

Across all 18 schools of Cheviot Learning Trust, income was £7,854 and spending £7,859 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 Morpeth · Northumberland local authority: places and applications

The King Edward VI School is part of Cheviot Learning Trust, which runs 18 schools. The nearest others:

• Morpeth Chantry Middle School Morpeth
• Morpeth Newminster Middle School Morpeth
• Morpeth All Saints Church of England First School Morpeth
• Abbeyfields First School Morpeth
• Morpeth Stobhillgate First School Morpeth
• Dr Thomlinson Church of England Middle School Morpeth
• Thropton Village First School Morpeth
• Wylam First School Wylam
• Ovingham Church of England First School Prudhoe
• Ovingham Middle School Prudhoe

What is The King Edward VI School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The King Edward VI School is Good, from an inspection in December 2024.

When was The King Edward VI School last inspected by Ofsted?

The King Edward VI School was last inspected in December 2024.

How many pupils does The King Edward VI School have?

The King Edward VI School has 1,426 pupils on roll.

What age range does The King Edward VI School cover?

The King Edward VI School for pupils aged 13 to 18.

Where is The King Edward VI School?

The King Edward VI School is at Cottingwood Lane, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 1DN.