Excelsior Academy, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Requires Improvement
All-through
Academy sponsor led
Mixed
Ages 319

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Mark Foster
Pupils:1,339 / 1,710 capacity
LA:Newcastle upon Tyne
Phone:01912288400
Address:Denton Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE15 6AF
Trust:THE LAIDLAW SCHOOLS TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2008

Ofsted Rating

Requires Improvement

Overall

URN:135423
UKPRN:10023975
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

The school has made real strides in getting more pupils into school regularly, particularly those who were struggling with attendance. Teaching in mathematics is improving thanks to better staff training and focused curriculum work. The school is also taking staff well-being seriously, creating a supportive environment where teachers feel valued and well-trained.

Key Strengths

  • Refined curriculum with coherent planning and sequencing, particularly in English and Art
  • Professional development in mathematics is helping pupils achieve more positively and staff use consistent methods
  • Significant reduction in persistent absence rates, especially among disadvantaged pupils and older students
  • Strong support from trust leaders targeting key areas for improvement
  • Staff well-being is prioritized with initiatives like 'Wellbeing Wednesday'

Areas for Improvement

  • Curriculum improvements are not yet fully embedded across all subjects
  • Implementation of new teaching approaches needs more consistency
  • Mathematics achievement improvements need to be further accelerated to meet school's ambitions
  • More work needed to support pupils' transition to next steps in education, employment or training

Excelsior Academy has made progress in improving the school since the previous inspection, with new staff appointments helping to secure improvements. However, some aspects of the school need further improvement and changes need to be more fully embedded.

At a Glance

74.5%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+7ppMaths+28ppWriting+4pp

Reading has improved from 66% to 73%. Maths has improved from 45% to 73%. Writing has improved from 55% to 59%.

Class Sizes

18.9

Avg class size

18.7

Infant (KS1)

27.0

KS2

74

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Denton Road-Woodstock Road (S-Bound)
190m · 3 min walk
Excelsior Academy (S-Bound)
200m · 3 min walk
Denton Road-Bankside Road (N-Bound)
206m · 3 min walk
Denton Road-Denton Dene (N-Bound)
234m · 4 min walk
Denton Road-Broadmead Way (S-Bound)
272m · 4 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

78%

Available places

1,339 pupils

1,710 capacity

371 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Low pressure
New homes approved:6,042
Projected new pupils:1,088

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Admissions Demand - Newcastle upon Tyne

Low demand1.05x oversubscription

Places available

2,467

Applications

2,592

Got 1st preference

79.7%

Got preferred school

93.9%

Secondary admissions across Newcastle upon Tyne (2025/26)

Inspection History(110)

Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement
Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement
Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement

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SEN Provision

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

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School Funding

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

10.31177%

Overall absence

32.53623%

Persistent absence

1,380

Enrolments

Authorised3.38163%
Unauthorised6.93014%
Persistent (10%+)32.53623%
Severe (50%+)3.4058%

Absence trend

5.79315%
18/19
7.45129%
20/21
10.40022%
21/22
12.9242%
22/23
12.80139%
23/24
10.31177%
24/25
Overall absence rate

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

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