New Penshaw Academy

New Penshaw Academy remains a good school, demonstrating a strong commitment to inclusivity and the personal well-being of its pupils. With a rich and challenging curriculum that emphasizes language and communication skills, most students achieve well, particularly in reading where phonics instruction is prioritized. The school fosters a nurturing environment where students feel valued and safe, which positively influences their motivation and attendance.

Strengths

• Inclusive environment that values all pupils
• Strong focus on language and communication skills
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)
• Commitment to improving attendance despite challenges
• Engaging and relevant curriculum that pupils enjoy

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent implementation of the curriculum in some foundation subjects
• High absence rates among disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND

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 New Penshaw Academy attended 92.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 22.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

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, 0.7% of pupils at New Penshaw Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). 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 New Penshaw Academy had 13.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 27.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

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, 27.7% of pupils at New Penshaw Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

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 primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 New Penshaw Academy received £9,345 and spent £8,978 for each of its 133 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £158,000 (£1,188 per pupil).

Across all 5 schools of Inspire Multi Academy Trust, income was £7,763 and spending £7,626 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 Houghton Le Spring · Sunderland local authority: places and applications

New Penshaw Academy is part of Inspire Multi Academy Trust, which runs 5 schools. The nearest others:

• Fatfield Academy Washington
• Burnside Academy Inspires Houghton Le Spring
• Farringdon Academy Sunderland
• Plains Farm Academy Sunderland

What is New Penshaw Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for New Penshaw Academy is Good, from an inspection in September 2024.

When was New Penshaw Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

New Penshaw Academy was last inspected in September 2024.

How many pupils does New Penshaw Academy have?

New Penshaw Academy has 112 pupils on roll.

What age range does New Penshaw Academy cover?

New Penshaw Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are New Penshaw Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 58% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is New Penshaw Academy?

New Penshaw Academy is at Langdale Road, New Penshaw, Houghton le Spring, Tyne and Wear, DH4 7HY.