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Bothal Academy, Ashington

Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 2–11

Bothal Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Ashington, part of Wise Academies.

New inspections, open days and news, by email.

Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days

Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Northumberland (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.

Data last updated 26 Oct 2026

Bothal Academy in detail

Results

Bothal Academy has no published results of its own yet. Before it took its current form in 2026, as Bothal Primary School (URN 122239), 76% of its Year 6 pupils reached the expected standard in reading and 76% in maths in the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments.

Getting a place at Bothal Academy

Across Northumberland, 97% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.

In 2026, families in Northumberland lodged 41 appeals against primary school offers; 24 reached a hearing and 7 succeeded (29.2% of those heard).

Compared with nearby schools

The nearest other state primary schools to Bothal Academy are Central Academy (0.8 miles); Ringway Primary School (1 mile, Good, 83% reading, 70% maths); NCEA James Knott CofE Primary School (1.2 miles, 83% reading, 83% maths); and Stakeford Primary School (1.2 miles, Good, 42% reading, 58% maths).

Central AcademyRingway Primary SchoolNCEA James Knott CofE Primary SchoolStakeford Primary School

The trust

Bothal Academy is one of 18 schools run by Wise Academies, an academy trust.

All 18 schools in Wise Academies

Getting there

The nearest railway station is Ashington Railway Station, about 860 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Portland (near), 180 metres away.

The area around the school

In August 2026, police recorded 138 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Northumberland (44), as is usual near a town centre.

Secondary schools nearby

The secondary schools closest to Bothal Academy are Ashington Academy (0.4 miles) and NCEA Duke's Secondary School (1.6 miles).

Ashington AcademyNCEA Duke's Secondary School

Sources: DfE school performance data; GIAS establishment links; DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime

Location

Likely (~913m)Possible (~1.3km)Unlikely (~1.7km)

Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Sophie Watkin
LA:Northumberland
Phone:01670812324
Address:Wansbeck Road, Ashington, NE63 8HZ
Trust:WISE ACADEMIES (18 schools)
Status:open
Opened:1 March 2026

Ofsted Rating

Bothal Academy has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in March 2026. Before that, as Bothal Primary School (URN 122239), it was rated Outstanding in October 2023.

URN:152256
UKPRN:10099642
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Blyth and Ashington
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

At a Glance

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Results at Bothal Primary School before it took its current form in 2026 (KS2)

Academic year 2024/25

Published for Bothal Primary School (URN 122239), the school Bothal Academy replaced. There are no figures for Bothal Academy yet, so these are shown separately.

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+3ppMaths+12ppWriting+4pp

Reading has remained stable at around 76% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 64% to 76% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 79% to 83% (2024 to 2025).

How Does This School Compare?

Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools

See peer comparison with Pro - £9 a month, or £90 a year, inc. VAT

Keep up with Bothal Academy

Before and after school care

Bothal 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 Northumberland

Getting There

Train Stations

Ashington Railway Station (Main Entrance)
861m · 14 min walk
Ashington Rail Station
865m · 14 min walk

Bus Stops

The Portland (near)
183m · 3 min walk
First Row (opp)
210m · 3 min walk
Booths Road (S-bound)
279m · 5 min walk
Excelsior Club (W-bound)
394m · 6 min walk
Entrance road (near)
432m · 7 min walk

Free school transport

Check free transport to Bothal Academy from your postcode →

You apply to the council where you live. Bothal Academy is in Northumberland; for families living there:

Apply to Northumberland for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.

Safety and surroundings

Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)

Collisions
10
Fatal
0
Serious
0
Children hurt
1

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 10 slight.

1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.

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 Northumberland is 3 (the median across 175 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.

Can you get into this school?
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Commute and house prices

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Will you get a place at Bothal Academy? Get the admissions report

Your home postcode, set against Bothal Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.

What the report includes for Bothal Academy:

  • The straight-line distance from your home to Bothal Academy.
  • We hold no last distance offered figures from Northumberland, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
  • How many families in Northumberland 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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Applications and offers at Bothal Primary School before it took its current form in 2026

Published for Bothal Primary School (URN 122239), the school Bothal Academy replaced. There are no figures for Bothal Academy yet, so these are shown separately.

Entry yearPlaces offeredFirst choicesNamed at allFirst choices per placeFirst choices not offered
2025891101441.221
202483831091.00
202386861041.00
202289881131.00
202179791121.00
202071701121.00
201979741180.90
201881811081.00
201776741081.00
201687861331.00
201590881431.00
201463621071.00

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers (school-level file). "Places offered" is the number of offers made on national offer day, which can differ from the school's published admission number.

Capacity & Demand

Area Demand Pressure - Ashington

Low pressure
New homes approved:418
Projected new pupils:105

Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Ashington

Across Northumberland council

Low demand council-wide0.69 applications per place

Places available

3,735

Applications

2,569

Got 1st preference

96.8%

Got preferred school

98.6%

All primary applications across Northumberland council (2026/27), not just this school.

Absence at Bothal Primary School before it took its current form in 2026
2024/25

Published for Bothal Primary School (URN 122239), the school Bothal Academy replaced. There are no figures for Bothal Academy yet, so these are shown separately.

4.2%

Overall absence

5.7%

Persistent absence

526

Enrolments

Authorised2.2%
Unauthorised2.0%
Persistent (10%+)5.7%
Severe (50%+)0.6%

Absence trend

4.0%
18/19
3.3%
20/21
6.2%
21/22
5.3%
22/23
5.4%
23/24
4.2%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

Secondary Schools Nearby

Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to

Questions parents ask about Bothal Academy

Are there exam results for Bothal Academy?

Bothal Academy has no published results of its own yet. Before it took its current form in 2026, as Bothal Primary School (URN 122239), 76% of its Year 6 pupils reached the expected standard in reading and 76% in maths in the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments.

What is Bothal Academy's Ofsted rating?

Bothal Academy has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in March 2026. Before that, as Bothal Primary School (URN 122239), it was rated Outstanding in October 2023.

What is the catchment area for Bothal Academy?

No fixed boundary. When Bothal Academy is oversubscribed, Northumberland allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.

How do I apply to Bothal Academy?

Apply through Northumberland's coordinated admissions process, naming Bothal 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 Bothal Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?

Bothal 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 Bothal Academy?

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 10 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 Northumberland is 3 (the median across 175 schools, same distance and years).

Where is Bothal Academy?

Bothal Academy is at Wansbeck Road, Ashington, Northumberland, NE63 8HZ.

Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)

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