Blackfriars Academy, Newcastle-under-Lyme
Blackfriars Academy is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Newcastle-under-Lyme, part of The Shaw Education Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Blackfriars Academy in detail
Blackfriars Academy in its own words
In its own words: "The underlying philosophy that underpins all that we do in our academy is that students learn best when they feel valued, where their barriers to learning are understood and catered for, where learning is fun, creative and meaningful and where they are active participants in their learning journey."
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am very pleased to welcome you to Blackfriars Academy, a school with a rich history of providing education where every student is valued as an individual."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Blackfriars Academy are Coppice Academy (0.5 miles, Good); Lyme Brook Independent School (0.7 miles, Good, selective); Merryfields School (1.2 miles, Good); and Regent College (1.9 miles, Good).
Coppice AcademyLyme Brook Independent SchoolMerryfields SchoolRegent College
The trust
Blackfriars Academy is one of 31 schools run by The Shaw Education Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 21 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 95% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 24% to a further education college.
Who goes there
42.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 5% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (84%) and Mixed (5%).
Almost every pupil at Blackfriars Academy has an education, health and care plan (121 of 121 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Blackfriars Academy has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Stoke-on-Trent Rail Station, about 2.1 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sneyd Arms (opposite), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 362 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Staffordshire (86), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Blackfriars Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE destination measures; 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from January 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its January 2013 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
About
Blackfriars Academy is a mixed special school of approximately 200 pupils, covering an age range of 11 to 19, with a range of physical, learning, medical and sensory needs who come from North and Central Staffordshire and the Unitary Authority of Stoke-on-Trent. The school is based in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Staffordshire, England.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
42.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Speech and language, Autism, Multi-sensory +3
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Blackfriars Academy
Return to School
18 Aug 2026
EHCP Annual Reviews
10 Dec 2025
Mobile phones and smartwatches
28 Nov 2025
History
5 Nov 2025
Subjects
4 Nov 2025
Science
3 Oct 2025
From Blackfriars Academy's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Blackfriars Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Blackfriars Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Blackfriars Academy is in Staffordshire; for families living there:
Apply to Staffordshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 16
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 13 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
3 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 Staffordshire is 5 (the median across 457 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
101%
Over capacity
121 pupils
120 places
1 pupil over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Newcastle-under-Lyme
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Newcastle-under-Lyme
Across Staffordshire council
Places available
8,807
Applications
7,681
Got 1st preference
91.9%
Got preferred school
98.5%
All secondary applications across Staffordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
121
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Blackfriars Academy has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
121
Total Pupils
84
Boys
37
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
17
Teachers
7.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,292
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.8%
Overall absence
30.5%
Persistent absence
118
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Blackfriars Academy
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Blackfriars Academy
What are GCSE results like at Blackfriars Academy?
In the 2024 results, pupils at Blackfriars Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 0.5 and a Progress 8 score of -1.71, well below the national average. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Blackfriars Academy's Ofsted rating?
Blackfriars Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Blackfriars Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Blackfriars Academy is oversubscribed, Staffordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Blackfriars Academy?
Blackfriars Academy has around 121 pupils on roll. 42% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Blackfriars Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Blackfriars Academy has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Blackfriars Academy?
10.8% of sessions were missed at Blackfriars Academy in 2024/25. 30.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Blackfriars Academy?
Apply through Staffordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Blackfriars 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.
How many road collisions happen near Blackfriars Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 13 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 3 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 Staffordshire is 5 (the median across 457 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Blackfriars Academy?
Blackfriars Academy is at Priory Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 2TF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)