Durham Academy, Durham

Ofsted's report card from its 20 January 2026 inspection grades Durham Academy on 6 areas: 2 strong standard, 3 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Pupils' attendance has improved significantly over time."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders have a deep understanding of the school's context and the challenges that pupils may face."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the curriculum and how it is taught."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and areas for further development."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school's personal development programme is carefully considered."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils' attainment in national tests and examinations has not been as good as it could be over time."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should ensure that gaps in pupils' knowledge and skills are closed rapidly so that attainment in national tests and examinations improves and pupils are better prepared for their next steps in education, employment or training. • Leaders should ensure that their expectations of teaching are consistently well embedded across the school and that adaptations are used highly effectively for pupils".

In 2026, pupils at Durham Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 39, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.6 in County Durham and 47 across England.

34% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 42% in County Durham and 47% in England.

That is up from 37.4 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.25: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 36.6, against 43 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 6.4 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 13 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Art and Design and Sports Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 83 families put Durham Academy as their first choice and 117 named it as one of their preferences, for 89 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 secondary schools to Durham Academy are Durham Johnston Comprehensive School (1.7 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 56.3); St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham (2 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 56.5); Framwellgate School Durham (2.4 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 48.9); and Hermitage Academy (5.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.1).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Durham Academy.

Durham Academy is one of 23 schools run by Advance Learning Partnership, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.3 in 2024/25.

43 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Durham Academy (as of September 2026): 63% would recommend the school, 65% say their child is happy there and 44% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (67%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (44%).

Of the 53 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 72% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 64% to a further education college, 8% to an apprenticeship and 8% into work.

59% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 6.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 102 pupils (25.2%) received SEN support and 27 (6.7%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

Durham Academy has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability and moderate learning difficulties: 14 places, 1 pupil on roll.

The nearest railway station is Durham Rail Station, about 2.2 miles away in a straight line.

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Woodland Terrace (e-bound), 200 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Durham Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Durham Academy issued 63 suspensions, 15.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Durham Academy are Our Lady & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Ushaw Moor (0.4 miles); Silver Tree Primary School and Nursery (0.4 miles); Bearpark Primary School (0.4 miles); and New Brancepeth Primary Academy (1.1 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.