Ashley Academy, South Shields
Ashley Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in South Shields, part of Wise Academies. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 18th-highest of the 18 schools in South Shields with published results, and 13,133rd of 14,452 across England. It was 90% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to South Tyneside (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Ashley Academy in detail
Results
In 2025, 62% of Year 6 pupils at Ashley Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 55% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 76% in South Tyneside and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 72% in reading and 70% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Ashley Academy
For September 2026 entry, 54 families put Ashley Academy as their first choice and 94 named it as one of their preferences, for 54 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Ashley Academy are Stanhope Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 97% reading, 97% maths); Mortimer Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 79% reading, 70% maths); SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School, South Shields (0.4 miles, 87% reading, 90% maths); and Laygate Community School (0.7 miles, Good, 77% reading, 74% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Ashley Academy.
Stanhope Primary SchoolMortimer Primary SchoolSS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School, South ShieldsLaygate Community School
The trust
Ashley Academy is one of 18 schools run by Wise Academies, an academy trust.
What parents say
66 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Ashley Academy (as of September 2025): 79% would recommend the school, 88% say their child is happy there and 67% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (89%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (67%).
Who goes there
38.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 11.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (77%), Black (7%) and Mixed (6%).
In 2026, 88 pupils (22.2%) received SEN support and 5 (1.3%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Tyne Dock (Tyne and Wear Metro Station), about 680 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Temple Park Road-Stanhope Road (se-bound), 70 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 431 crimes within a mile of the school, most often shoplifting, violence and sexual offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in South Tyneside (182), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Ashley Academy issued 4 suspensions, 1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Ashley Academy are St Wilfrid's RC College (0.2 miles), Mortimer Community College (0.3 miles) and Harton Academy (1 mile).
St Wilfrid's RC CollegeMortimer Community CollegeHarton Academy
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ashley Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in September 2022. Before that, as Ashley Primary School (URN 108685), it was rated Inadequate in October 2021.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Ashley Academy has transformed from its previous inadequate rating to become a thriving school where pupils love to learn and achieve well. The school excels at expert reading instruction, outstanding early years provision, and building strong character through its carefully planned curriculum. Staff are dedicated and positive about working there, with strong leadership focused on providing the best possible educational experiences for every child.
Key Strengths
- Expert phonics teaching with skilled staff delivering precise, consistent instruction and well-matched reading materials
- Outstanding early years provision where children make an exceptional start through language-rich, purposeful learning activities
- Exemplary behaviour and character development woven through the curriculum, promoting respect, tolerance and British values
- Strong support for pupils with SEND who are quickly identified and provided with tailored curriculum adaptations
- Ambitious, well-planned curriculum with trips and experiences that bring learning to life
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils' oracy (speaking) skills are not fully developed, making it harder for them to explain their understanding and for the school to check learning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school has created an open, positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Gardening club, cookery club, art club, sports clubs
Ashley Academy has made remarkable progress since converting from an inadequate primary school, now delivering good quality education with outstanding behaviour, personal development, and leadership. The school has high expectations for all pupils and provides exceptional pastoral support that helps them thrive.
At a Glance
38.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
66 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 72% to 62% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 70% to 55% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 70% to 77% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.3
Avg class size
22.5
Infant (KS1)
28.0
KS2
16
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Ashley Academy
Before and after school care
Ashley 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 South Tyneside
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Ashley Academy.
- First Class Learning South Shields170m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Ashley Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Ashley Academy is in South Tyneside; for families living there:
Apply to South Tyneside for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 25
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 9
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 20 slight.
9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
12 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 South Tyneside is 13 (the median across 64 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
Your chances of a place at Ashley Academy
Will you get a place at Ashley Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Ashley Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Ashley Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Ashley Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from South Tyneside, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Ashley Academy for 2023 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in South Tyneside got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
90%
Near capacity
377 pupils
420 places
43 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - South Shields
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for South Shields
Across South Tyneside council
Places available
1,822
Applications
1,375
Got 1st preference
96.9%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across South Tyneside council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
88
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
23.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
396
Total Pupils
221
Boys
175
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
20.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,278
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,712
Per pupil
£2439k
Total funding
£229k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.6%
Overall absence
14.7%
Persistent absence
347
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Ashley Academy
Questions parents ask about Ashley Academy
What are SATs results like at Ashley Academy?
Of the pupils at Ashley Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 62% reached the expected standard in reading and 55% did so in maths.
What is Ashley Academy's Ofsted rating?
Ashley Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in September 2022. Before that, as Ashley Primary School (URN 108685), it was rated Inadequate in October 2021.
What is the catchment area for Ashley Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Ashley Academy is oversubscribed, South Tyneside allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Ashley Academy?
Ashley Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 90% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Ashley Academy?
Classes at Ashley Academy average 24.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Ashley Academy?
Ashley Academy has around 396 pupils on roll. 39% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Ashley Academy?
5.6% of sessions were missed at Ashley Academy in 2024/25. 14.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Ashley Academy?
Apply through South Tyneside's coordinated admissions process, naming Ashley Academy on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Ashley Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ashley 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. Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Ashley Academy: First Class Learning South Shields (170m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near Ashley Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 20 slight. 9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 12 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 South Tyneside is 13 (the median across 64 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Ashley Academy?
Ashley Academy is at Temple Park Road, South Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE34 0QA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)