Atkinson Road Primary Academy, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

From the headteacher's welcome: "We are lucky to have a fabulous and enormous Early Years site where our youngest Nursery children (our 2-year-olds), up to our Reception classes, learn, work and play together. Together, we make our academy an exciting place to be, right in the centre of our amazing Benwell community."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include rugby, cricket, dance, Lego, cooking, eco club and forest school.

The school runs a breakfast club.

In 2025, 74% of Year 6 pupils at Atkinson Road Primary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 78% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 77% in Newcastle upon Tyne and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 63% in reading and 65% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 41 families put Atkinson Road Primary Academy as their first choice and 89 named it as one of their preferences, for 42 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Atkinson Road Primary Academy are St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Benwell (0.1 miles, 81% reading, 81% maths); West Newcastle Academy (0.2 miles, Good, 75% reading, 61% maths); Canning Street Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 51% reading, 54% maths); and St Johns Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 50% reading, 67% maths).

Atkinson Road Primary Academy's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Atkinson Road Primary Academy is one of 11 schools run by The Laidlaw Schools Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 66% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

66.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 61.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Black (24%), White British (23%) and Asian (18%).

In 2026, 90 pupils (22.8%) received SEN support and 7 (1.8%) 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.

Atkinson Road Primary Academy has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs and autism: 24 places, 16 pupils on roll.

Atkinson Road Primary Academy had 26 teachers in 2026, one for every 12 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Metrocentre Rail Station, about 1160 metres away (roughly a 15-minute walk).

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Armstrong Road-Atkinson Road (w-bound), 20 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Atkinson Road Primary Academy stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

Atkinson Road Primary Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.

The secondary schools closest to Atkinson Road Primary Academy are St Cuthbert's High School (0.8 miles), Sacred Heart Catholic High School (0.9 miles), Excelsior Academy (1.1 miles) and Kingsmeadow Community School (1.4 miles).