School Chooser

Kenton School

Secondary · ages 11-18MixedAcademy1,589 pupilsSixth formNewcastle-upon-TyneNewcastle upon Tyne
School Chooser Score
7
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 5 to 10
Out of 100. Better than 27% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, March 2025
Strong pass in English and maths40%England 46%
Attendance87.1%England 91.4%
Pupils from low-income families67%Far more than most schools
Places555 spare1,589 pupils, 2,144 places
Pupils per teacher15.1School workforce census

Kenton School is a converter academy in Newcastle-upon-Tyne for boys and girls aged 11 to 18. It has 1,589 pupils and room for 2,144. About 67 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 7 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 27% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.

Drayton Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE3 3RU0191 214 2200ks.northernleaderstrust.orgMrs Sinead Green principalAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 4 March 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Requires improvement
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Requires improvement
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Requires improvement
Sixth formOfsted calls this “post-16”
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

318 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.

Average GCSE score38.7
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths40%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths54%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Progress from age 11-0.85In each subject, pupils here finished most of a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level. (From 2023/24, the latest year there is. The government didn't work it out for the 2025 year group.)Official name: Progress 8
Trend
Average GCSE score
2018 to 2025
2018: 39.939.920182019: 40.540.520192022: 38.538.520222023: 37.337.320232024: 37.037.020242025: 38.738.72025
Since 2018: -1.2Steady overall
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018Newcastle upon TyneEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 11318312268302290304
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 838.737.037.338.540.539.943.346.8
Progress from age 11Progress 8-0.85-0.71-0.95-0.62-0.48
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths40%29%34%32%31%30%44%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths54%49%52%48%53%52%61%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score3.143.093.113.103.273.303.844.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry14%22%20%15%30%28%38%41%
Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged31.930.728.630.933.333.6
Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged48.344.947.046.946.745.0
Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers22.520.926.319.821.4
Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers55.755.856.554.453.2

Subjects

Results came out for 17 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.

Strongest subjects

French85%grades 9 to 5, England 60% · 300th of 1,974 schools
Art and Design75%grades 9 to 5, England 58% · 656th of 2,818 schools

Subjects that did worse than the England average: Physics (36% here, 82% across England), Biology (48% here, 82% across England), Chemistry (47% here, 81% across England), History (28% here, 52% across England).

What is taught hereOffers triple science, computer science.

The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.

Every subject against England, 2025
Mathematics313 entries · 7th of 12 in Newcastle upon Tyne
49%England 53%
English Language313 entries · 7th of 12 in Newcastle upon Tyne
45%England 54%
English Literature298 entries · 8th of 12 in Newcastle upon Tyne
41%England 58%
Combined Science246 entries · 11th of 12 in Newcastle upon Tyne
18%England 36%
Art and Design233 entries · 5th of 11 in Newcastle upon Tyne
75%England 58%
History155 entries · 9th of 11 in Newcastle upon Tyne
28%England 52%
Geography154 entries · 7th of 11 in Newcastle upon Tyne
36%England 51%
Physics66 entries · 9th of 9 in Newcastle upon Tyne
36%England 82%
Biology65 entries · 9th of 9 in Newcastle upon Tyne
48%England 82%
Business52 entries · 6th of 9 in Newcastle upon Tyne
33%England 51%
Chemistry49 entries · 9th of 9 in Newcastle upon Tyne
47%England 81%
Computer Science30 entries · 6th of 7 in Newcastle upon Tyne
50%England 56%
Other Modern Languages30 entries · 4th of 6 in Newcastle upon Tyne
30%England 49%
Media / Film / TV20 entries · 2nd of 3 in Newcastle upon Tyne
60%England 55%
French20 entries · 1st of 8 in Newcastle upon Tyne
85%England 60%
58%England 60%
SubjectEntriesGrades 9 to 7Grades 9 to 5Grades 9 to 4England 9 to 5Rank in England
Mathematics31314%49%63%53%1,750 of 3,211
English Language31313%45%59%54%2,202 of 3,210
English Literature2989%41%57%58%2,667 of 3,202
Combined Science2462%18%36%36%2,724 of 3,084
Art and Design23325%75%93%58%656 of 2,818
History1558%28%38%52%2,865 of 3,126
Geography15414%36%44%51%2,314 of 3,116
Physics6617%36%56%82%2,493 of 2,546
Biology6519%48%65%82%2,409 of 2,570
Business524%33%50%51%1,408 of 1,806
Chemistry4925%47%80%81%2,369 of 2,537
Computer Science3020%50%57%56%1,054 of 1,861
Other Modern Languages3017%30%30%49%412 of 454
Media / Film / TV2015%60%80%55%228 of 580
French2030%85%95%60%300 of 1,974
Religious Studies195%58%68%60%
Social Studies70%0%0%54%

In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.

A level and sixth-form results, 2025

103 students finished sixth-form courses.

Average A level gradeC-26.2 points per entry
A level progress-0.28Against students elsewhere with the same GCSE grades. 0 is average.
AAB or better7%with two subjects universities favour
Stayed and finished75%of students who started
All sixth-form measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018
Students103121125129227205
Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry26.1927.0625.0228.8627.0527.38
Average A level gradeC-C-C-CC-C-
Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS25.2024.7624.1030.0027.0129.71
AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects7%7%4%15%4%3%
A level progressA level value added-0.28-0.35-0.13-0.10
Applied general courses: points per entry29.3129.9525.9928.69
T levels: points per entry29.1725.0021.7926.67
Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed75%84%89%86%77%88%

A level subjects

13 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.

A levels taught hereThe small number is how many students sat each one in 2025.
SubjectsBiology25Psychology19Chemistry18Mathematics16Law10English Language10Computer Science9Photography8Sociology8Media / Film / TV Studies6Physics6English Literature5Art and Design5
Every A level subject against England, 2025
Biology25 entries · 0% A* or A · 84% passed
8%England 49%
Psychology19 entries · 5% A* or A · 90% passed
16%England 46%
Chemistry18 entries · 6% A* or A · 89% passed
6%England 53%
Mathematics16 entries · 13% A* or A · 100% passed
44%England 60%
Law10 entries · 10% A* or A · 70% passed
20%England 40%
English Language10 entries · 10% A* or A · 100% passed
50%England 44%
Computer Science9 entries · 0% A* or A · 67% passed
11%England 46%
Photography8 entries · 25% A* or A · 100% passed
75%England 58%
Sociology8 entries · 0% A* or A · 88% passed
25%England 49%
Media / Film / TV Studies6 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
33%England 46%
Physics6 entries · 17% A* or A · 83% passed
17%England 51%
English Literature5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 52%
Art and Design5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 60%

A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. None of the gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At GCSE, 2025

Average GCSE scoreLow-income pupils vs other pupils
31.948.3
Gap 16.4England 12.2
Strong pass in English and mathsLow-income pupils vs other pupils
29%57%
Gap 28 ptsEngland 22 pts
Average GCSE scoreBoys vs girls
36.940.3
Gap 3.4England 3.0
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Open to all. There is no entrance test.

Plenty of spare places1,694 pupils for 2,144 places, 2024/25
79% full

450 places were empty (21% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 6% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Will my child get a place?

In 2025 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2025. Every child who applied got a place (286 offers for 300 places).

EntryPlacesGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2025 Secondary300286all offeredLA

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll1,589Census January 2026
Places2,14474% full
Pupils from low-income families65%67% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English34%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support11%179 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan5%71 pupils with a plan
Average class size21.169 classes, January 2026; England 22.8
Classes with more than 30 pupils12%share of one-teacher classes; England 12%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)67%£1,029,600 extra funding in 2026/27; England 30%
Boys and girls767 / 822
White British pupils56%

Specialist SEND provision. Resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) and SEN unit with 24 pupils and a SEN unit with 24 pupils, for autism, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health, speech, language and communication, severe learning difficulties.

To get a place in the unit or resourced provision, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school. Other schools in Newcastle upon Tyne with autism provision.

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (77), emotional and mental health (68), Moderate learning difficulty (36), language and communications needs (31), Specific learning difficulty (17), Hearing impairment (6).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll1,5891,7131,7951,8201,8261,812
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals65%61%56%55%51%48%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language34%31%29%27%24%21%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support12%10%10%8%7%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%3%2%2%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 87.1% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.

Attendance87.1%
England 91.4%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school34.8%
England 23.9%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils52.82024/25, 5 permanent exclusions
Missed without permission11.3%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence12.9%14.0%14.5%14.5%9.3%10.1%8.6%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence1.6%2.3%2.3%4.7%4.8%2.7%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence11.3%11.7%12.2%9.8%4.6%7.3%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence34.8%36.9%37.9%43.1%27.7%29.4%23.9%
SuspensionsSuspension rate52.859.151.332.617.9
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions541455

What pupils do next

After GCSEs

Where the 268 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training82%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 73%, compared with 93% for everyone else.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training82%82%83%88%
Education74%69%76%83%
Apprenticeship3%5%2%2%
Work5%8%5%3%
Not in education, work or training11%13%13%10%

After sixth form

Where the 114 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training68%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 67%, compared with 68% for everyone else.

Where the ones heading for university went

Went on to degree-level study or training52%England 72%
Top-third universities9%England 22%. The universities that ask for the highest grades
Higher or degree apprenticeship6%England 6%
Higher technical course7%Level 4 or 5, such as an HNC or HND

Among students from low-income families, 36% went on to degree-level study or training and 4% to a top-third university.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training68%70%85%
Education33%38%45%
Apprenticeship6%9%10%0%
Work28%23%30%
Not in education, work or training19%21%14%

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers105.2full-time equivalent, 114 people
Pupils per teacher15.1Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers97%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants22.2full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£56,810
Teachers who left in the year14%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher8.62024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£9,664England £7,965. Total £17m
Income per pupil£10,323England £8,423. Total £18m
Spent on teachers per pupil£4,643England £4,444
Money in reserve6%Not much put by: £1.1m, £615 per pupil. England 10%
Money in against money out+£1.1mit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£9,664spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m28312 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate103 per 1,000 people14% higher than the England average
Typical house price£201,000Newcastle upon Tyne
Nearest bus stop60 mKenton School, 17 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Gosforth Junior High AcademyAcademy1.3 miles695Good 202365Compare
Gosforth AcademyAcademy1.4 miles1,925Good 202282Compare
Sacred Heart Catholic High SchoolAcademy1.5 miles1,424No overall grade 202483Compare
Gosforth Central Middle SchoolFoundation1.6 miles600Good 202472Compare
Callerton AcademyFree school1.6 miles684Good 20246Compare
Gosforth East Middle SchoolFoundation1.8 miles557Good 202361Compare
Studio WestStudio schools1.8 miles496No overall grade 20241Compare
St Cuthbert's High SchoolAcademy1.9 miles1,224Good 202452Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Kenton School with the 49 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats27%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 7 is 19 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 0 · middle 25 · highest 99100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 49 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Kenton School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Kingsmeadow Community SchoolCouncil3.7 miles868Report card 202619Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 7 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 7% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 5 to 10. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years20%below
-0.18
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 318 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%well below
-0.31
Ofsted grade, 1.5 years old
Progress pupils make20%well below
-0.33
DfE progress measure; 318 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.06
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.15
2024/25; 1,634 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.06
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 318 pupils
What pupils do next5%well below
-0.09
268 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Kenton School a good school?

The figures are weak. Kenton School scores 7 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 27% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 5 to 10, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Kenton School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Kenton School not judged at its last full inspection on 4 March 2025.

How good are Kenton School's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 40% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 38.7, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished most of a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.

How many pupils does Kenton School have?

1,589 pupils aged 11 to 18 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 2,144 places, so it is 74% full.

Is Kenton School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 450 places were empty in 2024/25 (21% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Kenton School?

Pupils were in school 87.1% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 35% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Kenton School?

The average class had 21.1 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 12% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Kenton School have specialist SEND provision?

Yes. It has resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) and sen unit for autism, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health, speech, language and communication, severe learning difficulties. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.

Does Kenton School have a sixth form?

Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was C-. 13 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Drayton Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE3 3RU
Telephone
0191 214 2200
Website
ks.northernleaderstrust.org
Principal
Mrs Sinead Green
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Secondary school, ages 11-18, with sixth form
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Northern Leaders Trust (2 schools)
Local authority
Newcastle upon Tyne
Ward
Kenton
Constituency
Newcastle upon Tyne North
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 May 2012 (academy converter)
URN
138120 · LAESTAB 3914485 · UKPRN 10037231
Formerly
Kenton School

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from