NCG, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NCG is a post-16 school for pupils aged 14 to 99 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
NCG in detail
NCG in its own words
In its own words: "NCG exists to create life-changing opportunities for individuals that strengthen the prosperity of their local communities. We are committed to creating inclusive communities of excellent learning and teaching which benefit from sharing best practice developed across the seven learning organisations which are NCG."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Where pupils go next
Of the 6122 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 23% went on to university or other higher education, 9% to apprenticeships and 29% into work. 5% went to one of the most selective third of universities.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Newcastle Rail Station, about 670 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Scotswood Road-College (e-bound), 160 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood NCG stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 1224 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 Newcastle upon Tyne (318), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE destination measures; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Contribution to meeting skills needs: Reasonable
Source: Ofsted, further education and skills inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
NCG creates motivating learning environments where students from diverse backgrounds thrive and develop real workplace skills. Teachers are skilled at explaining complex topics clearly and supporting learners to apply their knowledge to real scenarios. The college group works closely with major employers to ensure courses are relevant and prepare learners well for their next steps, whether that's further study or employment.
Key Strengths
- Learners are highly motivated and engaged, with strong attendance and excellent behaviour - they take responsibility for their learning and prepare well for the workplace
- Teachers use effective teaching strategies, breaking down complex topics into manageable parts with good use of modelling and demonstration
- The college provides a broad, well-planned curriculum that meets employer and local skills needs, with good progression to further study or employment
- Strong inclusive communities with high levels of mutual respect and support for learners across all college sites
- Apprenticeship achievement rates have improved considerably since the previous inspection
Areas for Improvement
- Completion rates are too low at West Lancashire College and on A-level programmes at Newcastle Sixth Form College, though actions are underway
- In some curriculum areas, feedback on learners' written work does not help them understand how to improve
- Employer involvement in curriculum design is less developed in a small number of curriculum areas
- In a few instances, stakeholders' input is limited and does not fully benefit learners with up-to-date industry knowledge
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective - learners and apprentices feel safe at colleges and know who to contact with concerns, with clear security measures in place including lanyards, access arrangements, and high security presence.
Extracurricular Activities
Science analyst competition, battle of the bands competition, cross-college competitions
NCG is a large college group comprising seven colleges across England providing academic, vocational, and technical courses from entry level to degree level for over 13,000 young people, 10,000 adults, and 1,475 apprentices. The college group is rated Good across all areas of provision.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Special Measures
Sixth Form Performance (A-Level)
A-Level Results
C+
Average grade
31.8
Points per entry
C
Best 3 A-Levels
4%
Achieving AAB+
Average
Value added
517
A-Level students
78%
Retention rate
2024/25 academic year
A-Level Subjects Offered
+ 12 more subjects
2024/25 academic year - entries by number of students
After A-Levels - Leaver Destinations
After A-Levels (Year 13) - 6,122 students
2023/24 data
University & Higher Education Destinations
5%
Top-third university
37%
Degree course
49%
Any L4+ destination
1%
Apprenticeships
Based on 3,141 students completing 16-18 study
2022/23 cohort - "Top-third" = most selective third of UK universities by student intake
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby schools
Keep up with NCG
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 74
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 21
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 74 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 21 serious and 53 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise.
17 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 Newcastle upon Tyne is 23.5 (the median across 112 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
Area Demand Pressure - Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Across Newcastle upon Tyne council
Places available
2,560
Applications
2,594
Got 1st preference
79.0%
Got preferred school
93.4%
All secondary applications across Newcastle upon Tyne council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(16)
Questions parents ask about NCG
What is NCG's Ofsted rating?
NCG was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2024.
What is the catchment area for NCG?
No fixed boundary. When NCG is oversubscribed, Newcastle upon Tyne allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How do I apply to NCG?
Apply through Newcastle upon Tyne's coordinated admissions process, naming NCG 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 NCG?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 74 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 21 serious and 53 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise. 17 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 Newcastle upon Tyne is 23.5 (the median across 112 schools, same distance and years).
Where is NCG?
NCG is at Rye Hill Campus, Scotswood Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE4 7SA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)