Morpeth Newminster Middle School

Morpeth Newminster Middle School is demonstrating strong overall performance, meeting expected standards in safeguarding, curriculum, and pupil wellbeing. The school is particularly noted for its strong personal development programs that promote citizenship and healthy living among students. The inclusive approach ensures that pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the support they require, contributing to their positive experiences and progress in learning. However, while certain areas such as reading show above-average achievement, writing skills need more attention, especially for disadvantaged pupils who face challenges in reaching expected standards.

Strengths

• Strong safeguarding culture where pupils feel safe.
• High-quality support for pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged.
• Extensive personal development program enhancing pupils' experiences and opportunities.
• Broad and balanced curriculum preparing pupils well for next steps.
• Well-cared for pupils supported by an effective pastoral team.

Areas for Improvement

• Writing skills of pupils, particularly disadvantaged ones, require improvement.
• Some pupils lack resilience in challenging learning situations.

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 Morpeth Newminster Middle School attended 93.8% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 13.0% 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, 2.9% of pupils at Morpeth Newminster Middle School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No 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 Morpeth Newminster Middle School had 19.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 3.5% 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, 17.9% of pupils at Morpeth Newminster Middle School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.6% 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 Morpeth Newminster Middle School received £6,652 and spent £6,696 for each of its 556 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £255,000 (£459 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

Morpeth Newminster Middle School is part of Cheviot Learning Trust, which runs 18 schools. The nearest others:

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

What is Morpeth Newminster Middle School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Morpeth Newminster Middle School is Expected standard, from an inspection in April 2026.

When was Morpeth Newminster Middle School last inspected by Ofsted?

Morpeth Newminster Middle School was last inspected in April 2026.

How many pupils does Morpeth Newminster Middle School have?

Morpeth Newminster Middle School has 521 pupils on roll.

What age range does Morpeth Newminster Middle School cover?

Morpeth Newminster Middle School for pupils aged 9 to 13.

What are Morpeth Newminster Middle School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 54% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Morpeth Newminster Middle School?

Morpeth Newminster Middle School is at Mitford Road, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 1RH.