Ash Trees Academy, Billingham
Ash Trees Academy is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Billingham, part of The Ascent Academies' Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2022 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2017)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Ash Trees Academy in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Ash Trees Academy are Elmbank Learning Centre (1.5 miles, Outstanding); King Edwin School (1.6 miles, Good); Kiora Hall (2.6 miles, Good); and Hopefields Education CiC (2.8 miles, Good, selective).
Elmbank Learning CentreKing Edwin SchoolKiora HallHopefields Education CiC
The trust
Ash Trees Academy is one of 6 schools run by The Ascent Academies' Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
47.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 4.2% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Ash Trees Academy has an education, health and care plan (189 of 189 in 2026). The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Billingham Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is High Grange House (a), 110 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Ash Trees Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from September 2017, 9 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its September 2017 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
47.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Ash Trees Academy
Before and after school care
Ash Trees Academy is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Stockton-on-Tees
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Ash Trees Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Ash Trees Academy is in Stockton-on-Tees; for families living there:
Apply to Stockton-on-Tees for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 4 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on a bicycle.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Stockton-on-Tees is 9 (the median across 87 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
100%
Full
189 pupils
189 places
No spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Billingham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Billingham
Across Stockton-on-Tees council
Places available
2,586
Applications
2,216
Got 1st preference
94.8%
Got preferred school
99.5%
All secondary applications across Stockton-on-Tees council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
189
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
189
Total Pupils
129
Boys
60
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
30
Teachers
6.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,511
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.6%
Overall absence
23.4%
Persistent absence
167
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Ash Trees Academy
Questions parents ask about Ash Trees Academy
What are SATs results like at Ash Trees Academy?
Of the pupils at Ash Trees Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Ash Trees Academy's Ofsted rating?
Ash Trees Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2017, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Ash Trees Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Ash Trees Academy is oversubscribed, Stockton-on-Tees allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Ash Trees Academy?
Ash Trees Academy has around 189 pupils on roll. 47% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Ash Trees Academy?
8.6% of sessions were missed at Ash Trees Academy in 2024/25. 23.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Ash Trees Academy?
Apply through Stockton-on-Tees's coordinated admissions process, naming Ash Trees Academy on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
Does Ash Trees Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ash Trees Academy is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Ash Trees Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 4 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on a bicycle. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Stockton-on-Tees is 9 (the median across 87 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Ash Trees Academy?
Ash Trees Academy is at Bowes Road, Billingham, TS23 2BU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)