North Durham Academy, Stanley

In 2026, pupils at North Durham Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 39.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.6 in County Durham and 47 across England.

27% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 42% in County Durham and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 39.8.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.43: 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 34.5, against 44.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Art and Design and History.

For September 2026 entry, 119 families put North Durham Academy as their first choice and 256 named it as one of their preferences, for 163 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 North Durham Academy are Tanfield School (0.7 miles, Attainment 8 54.4); St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Lanchester (3.7 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 45.8); Hermitage Academy (4.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.1); and Whickham School (4.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.2).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than North Durham Academy.

North Durham Academy is one of 8 schools run by Connect Multi-Academy Trust, an academy trust.

48 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about North Durham Academy (as of April 2026): 88% would recommend the school, 81% say their child is happy there and 55% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (88%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (55%).

Of the 189 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 83% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 74% to a further education college, 6% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

50.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 3.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

North Durham Academy provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs and social, emotional and mental health needs.

There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of North Durham Academy.

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Library (w-bound), 80 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood North Durham Academy stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 238 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 County Durham (84), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, North Durham Academy issued 580 suspensions, 59.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 13 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to North Durham Academy are St Joseph's Catholic Primary, Stanley (0.2 miles); East Stanley School (0.3 miles); Shield Row Primary School (0.5 miles); and Stanley Burnside Primary School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.