Morpeth Road Academy

Overall, Morpeth Road Academy is performing strongly. Outcomes have improved rapidly over the last three years, and the majority of pupils now leave ready for secondary school. Disadvantaged pupils do particularly well compared with national averages, and phonics in Year 1 and reading at the end of key stage 2 are above national averages. The curriculum is highly effective and carefully sequenced, teaching is strong across subjects, and pupils with SEND are well supported to learn alongside their peers. The school's early years provision is a standout strength, as is its inclusive ethos and strong leadership and governance. Leaders, trustees and governors work constructively to drive improvement, staff feel well supported, and personal development is comprehensive, including safety education, British values and a wide range of enriching experiences. Safeguarding standards are met, and pupils feel safe and cared for. The school serves a disadvantaged area with high proportions of pupils eligible for free school meals and pupils with SEND. The main area for further work is attendance and behaviour, which are judged at expected rather than strong standard. Attendance has improved and is now close to national averages, but overall absence remains above national figures. Behaviour is usually calm and respectful, but leaders need to further embed their approach so all pupils consistently meet high expectations, particularly with less familiar staff. This is the school's main next step.

Strengths

• Pupils' outcomes have rapidly improved over three years, with most leaving ready for secondary school.
• Disadvantaged pupils achieve particularly well compared with national averages.
• Phonics in Year 1 and reading at the end of key stage 2 are now above national averages.
• The curriculum is highly effective and carefully sequenced so knowledge and skills build over time.
• Teaching is strong, with staff checking understanding and addressing misconceptions quickly.
• Staff adapt learning well so pupils with SEND can fully access the curriculum.
• Early years provision is inspiring, with skilled staff developing communication, independence and early reading, writing and number.
• Inclusion is a significant strength, with ambitious support for SEND, disadvantaged pupils and those known to social care.
• Leadership, governance and trust working are constructive, ambitious and focused on continuous improvement.
• Staff are overwhelmingly positive about leaders, and professional development has created consistent teaching approaches.
• Personal development is comprehensive, including safety education, British values, the school's 'Pledge' and a wide range of experiences.
• Pupils feel safe, show tolerance and kindness, and rare bullying is dealt with promptly.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.

Areas for Improvement

• Behaviour management is not yet fully embedded, so some pupils do not always meet leaders' high expectations, particularly with staff who are less familiar to them.
• Attendance and behaviour are at expected rather than strong standard, and overall absence remains above the national average, although it is improving.

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 Road Academy attended 93.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.3% 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, 3.1% of pupils at Morpeth Road Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). 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 Morpeth Road Academy had 13.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.3% 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, 30.4% of pupils at Morpeth Road Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 9.9% 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 Morpeth Road Academy received £9,005 and spent £9,834 for each of its 267 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £218,000 (£819 per pupil).

Across all 16 schools of Wise Academies, income was £8,327 and spending £8,361 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 Blyth · Northumberland local authority: places and applications

Morpeth Road Academy is part of Wise Academies, which runs 18 schools. The nearest others:

• Malvin's Close Academy Blyth
• Croftway Academy Blyth
• Central Academy Ashington
• Bothal Academy Ashington
• Welbeck Academy Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
• Ashley Academy South Shields
• Town End Academy Sunderland
• Bexhill Academy Sunderland
• North View Academy Sunderland
• Adderlane Academy Prudhoe

What is Morpeth Road Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Morpeth Road Academy is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Morpeth Road Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Morpeth Road Academy was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Morpeth Road Academy have?

Morpeth Road Academy has 253 pupils on roll.

What age range does Morpeth Road Academy cover?

Morpeth Road Academy for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Morpeth Road Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 64% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Morpeth Road Academy?

Morpeth Road Academy is at Bates Avenue, Blyth, Northumberland, NE24 5TQ.