Biddick Academy

Biddick Academy demonstrates strong overall performance, having made significant improvements under new leadership since joining the North East Learning Trust. The school has cultivated an inclusive culture, enhanced attendance, and developed robust support systems for students, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities. Though pupils achieve broadly in line with national averages, continued efforts are needed to improve outcomes further, especially for disadvantaged students, as the school navigates post-pandemic challenges and data variability across subjects.

Strengths

• Strong culture of inclusion supporting diverse student needs.
• Significant improvements in attendance and behavior.
• Effective personal development program enhancing student well-being.
• Dedicated governance with thorough oversight and support.
• Positive student-teacher relationships fostering a supportive learning environment.

Areas for Improvement

• Pupil achievement and progress in English and maths need further improvement.
• Overall absence and persistent absence rates are above the national average.

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 Biddick Academy attended 89.6% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 28.9% 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, 14.7% of pupils at Biddick Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 18 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 Biddick Academy had 16.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.8% 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, 14.8% of pupils at Biddick Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 4.5% 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 Biddick Academy received £8,789 and spent £8,839 for each of its 1,070 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,401,000 (£1,309 per pupil).

Across all 13 schools of North East Learning Trust, income was £8,623 and spending £8,502 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 Washington · Sunderland local authority: places and applications

Biddick Academy is part of North East Learning Trust, which runs 15 schools. The nearest others:

• Hermitage Academy Chester Le Street
• Diamond Hall Junior Academy Sunderland
• Carville Academy Wallsend
• Sacriston Academy Durham
• Churchill Academy Wallsend
• Easington Academy Peterlee
• Browney Primary Academy Browney
• The Academy at Shotton Hall Peterlee
• Bedlington Academy Bedlington
• Meadowdale Academy Bedlington

What is Biddick Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Biddick Academy is Expected standard, from an inspection in May 2026.

When was Biddick Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Biddick Academy was last inspected in May 2026.

How many pupils does Biddick Academy have?

Biddick Academy has 1,002 pupils on roll.

What age range does Biddick Academy cover?

Biddick Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Biddick Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 48.2, and 56% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Biddick Academy?

Biddick Academy is at Biddick Lane, Washington, Tyne and Wear, NE38 8AL.