NHS Choices College, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NHS Choices College is a special school for pupils aged 16 to 24 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
NHS Choices College in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to NHS Choices College are Northern Counties School (1.6 miles, Good); Benton House School (1.9 miles); Benton Dene School (2.1 miles, Good); and Percy Hedley Hedleys College (2.2 miles, Good).
Northern Counties SchoolBenton House SchoolBenton Dene SchoolPercy Hedley Hedleys College
Who goes there
NHS Choices College is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Regent Centre (Tyne and Wear Metro Station), about 120 metres away (roughly a 2-minute walk).
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Interchange (stand c), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood NHS Choices College stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 180 crimes within a mile of the school, most often shoplifting, violence and sexual offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Camden (1254).
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from December 2019, 6 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Source: Ofsted, further education and skills inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Choices College excels at creating real work experiences that build learners' confidence and prepare them for adult life. Staff are highly skilled at teaching practical independence skills - from managing money and using public transport to developing professional workplace behaviour. The college's strong employer partnerships mean learners get genuine, meaningful work placements that they genuinely enjoy and find motivating.
Key Strengths
- Well-matched work placements that build confidence and align with learners' career goals
- Effective teaching of English and mathematics using real-life business projects
- Strong partnerships with NHS employers and private businesses to secure quality placements
- Supportive and welcoming college environment where learners feel safe
- Clear target-setting based on individual needs and education, health and care plans
Areas for Improvement
- Too few interns achieving functional skills English and mathematics qualifications
- Too few interns progressing into paid employment after the course
- Need to embed and develop the newly introduced governance structure
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Community visits to shops and cafes, work placements, careers advice, CV writing, interview practice
NHS England (Choices College) is a supported internship provider for learners with high needs, currently supporting 207 interns across 22 delivery sites. The college continues to be judged as good, providing work placements and teaching in English, mathematics and employability skills.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Approved
Section 41
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with NHS Choices College
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to NHS Choices College from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. NHS Choices College is in Camden; for families living there:
Apply to Camden for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 28
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 28 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 23 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
9 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 Camden is 130 (the median across 102 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 Camden council
Places available
1,577
Applications
1,261
Got 1st preference
73.7%
Got preferred school
93.3%
All secondary applications across Camden council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
Special educational needs provision
NHS Choices College is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Source: Get Information about Schools (GIAS), Department for Education.
Questions parents ask about NHS Choices College
What is NHS Choices College's Ofsted rating?
NHS Choices College's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for NHS Choices College?
No fixed boundary. When NHS Choices College is oversubscribed, Camden allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Does NHS Choices College have specialist SEN provision?
NHS Choices College is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
How do I apply to NHS Choices College?
Apply through Camden's coordinated admissions process, naming NHS Choices College 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 NHS Choices College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 28 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 23 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 9 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 Camden is 130 (the median across 102 schools, same distance and years).
Where is NHS Choices College?
NHS Choices College is at The Grainger Suite, Dobson House, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE3 3PF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)