Discovery Special Academy, Middlesbrough
Discovery Special Academy is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 16 in Middlesbrough, part of Tees Valley Education. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2023.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Discovery Special Academy in detail
Discovery Special Academy in its own words
In its own words: "Discovery Special Academy caters for pupils age 3 - 16 with severe learning difficulties (SLD) and is an academy within the Tees Valley Education Trust."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include dance, STEM, cooking, gardening, eco club and debating.
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Discovery Special Academy are Holmwood School (0.8 miles, Good); Beverley School (0.9 miles); Beverley School (0.9 miles, Good); and Hollis Academy (1 mile, Good).
The trust
Discovery Special Academy is one of 5 schools run by Tees Valley Education, an academy trust.
Who goes there
74.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 19.8% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Discovery Special Academy has an education, health and care plan (184 of 187 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is James Cook Rail Station, about 1.7 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Blue Bell - Ladgate Lane (a), 230 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 216 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Middlesbrough (532).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Discovery Special Academy issued 1 suspension, 0.6 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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 · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its January 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
74.9%
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
Latest from Discovery Special Academy
Discovery Blog 02.10.2026
2 Oct 2026
Discovery Blog 25.09.2026
25 Sep 2026
Discovery Blog 18.09.2026
18 Sep 2026
Discovery Blog 11.09.2026
11 Sep 2026
Discovery Blog 10.07.26
10 Jul 2026
Discovery Blog 03.07.2026
3 Jul 2026
From Discovery Special Academy's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Discovery Special Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Discovery Special Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Discovery Special Academy is in Middlesbrough; for families living there:
Apply to Middlesbrough for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 14
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 12 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 Middlesbrough is 14 (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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
103%
Over capacity
187 pupils
181 places
6 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Middlesbrough
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Middlesbrough
Across Middlesbrough council
Places available
1,884
Applications
1,913
Got 1st preference
84.3%
Got preferred school
96.3%
All secondary applications across Middlesbrough council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
3
SEN Support
184
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
187
Total Pupils
113
Boys
74
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
25
Teachers
7.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,398
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.8%
Overall absence
19.4%
Persistent absence
144
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
Discovery Special Academy
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Discovery Special Academy
What are SATs results like at Discovery Special Academy?
Of the pupils at Discovery Special Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Discovery Special Academy's Ofsted rating?
Discovery Special Academy was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2023.
What is the catchment area for Discovery Special Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Discovery Special Academy is oversubscribed, Middlesbrough allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Discovery Special Academy?
Discovery Special Academy has around 187 pupils on roll. 75% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Discovery Special Academy?
6.8% of sessions were missed at Discovery Special Academy in 2024/25. 19.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Discovery Special Academy?
Apply through Middlesbrough's coordinated admissions process, naming Discovery Special 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 Discovery Special Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 12 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 Middlesbrough is 14 (the median across 64 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Discovery Special Academy?
Discovery Special Academy is at Sandy Flatts Lane, Middlesbrough, Cleveland, TS5 7YN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)