The Blyth Academy

The Blyth Academy is performing well overall, having shown improvement since its last inspection. It has created a productive learning environment where pupils enjoy their lessons and have positive relationships with their teachers. The school has high expectations for both staff and students, which has fostered a culture of hard work. While the quality of education and personal development are deemed good, behaviour management remains an area needing further attention, as some students struggle with consistent attendance and behaviour issues.

Strengths

• High expectations of staff and pupils
• Strong relationships between pupils and teachers
• Effective curriculum planning and subject delivery
• Increased participation in a variety of subjects
• Strong support for pupils with special educational needs
• Improved culture of reading and literacy support
• Wide range of extra-curricular opportunities

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils have inconsistent attendance
• High rates of exclusions and behavioural issues
• Some pupils miss key lessons on personal development topics

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 Blyth Academy attended 89.6% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 29.6% 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, 24.2% of pupils at The Blyth Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 3 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 The Blyth Academy had 24.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.0% 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, 13.3% of pupils at The Blyth Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 4.7% 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 Blyth Academy received £9,923 and spent £9,242 for each of its 773 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £804,000 (£1,039 per pupil).

Across all 30 schools of Northern Education Trust, income was £8,462 and spending £8,166 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

The Blyth Academy is part of Northern Education Trust, which runs 30 schools. The nearest others:

• Hilton Primary Academy Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
• Walbottle Academy Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
• Thorp Academy Ryton
• Red House Academy Sunderland
• Farringdon Community Academy Sunderland
• Hetton Academy Houghton Le Spring
• Dyke House Sports and Technology College Hartlepool
• Manor Community Academy Hartlepool
• Frederick Nattrass Primary Academy Stockton-On-Tees
• Norton Primary Academy Stockton-On-Tees

What is The Blyth Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Blyth Academy is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was The Blyth Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

The Blyth Academy was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does The Blyth Academy have?

The Blyth Academy has 766 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Blyth Academy cover?

The Blyth Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are The Blyth Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 40.7, and 44% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is The Blyth Academy?

The Blyth Academy is at Chase Farm Drive, Blyth, Northumberland, NE24 4JP.