The Apex Academy, East Hartford
The Apex Academy is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in East Hartford.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Apex Academy in detail
The Apex Academy in its own words
In its own words: "Get in touch with our team for admissions enquiries, information, or to learn more about The Apex Academy. All policies and procedures are available on request and can be provided by email or post for inspection purposes."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Apex Academy are Cramlington Hillcrest School (1.5 miles, Good); The Dales School (1.8 miles, Outstanding); Azure College (2 miles); and Gilbert Ward Academy (2.6 miles).
Cramlington Hillcrest SchoolThe Dales SchoolAzure CollegeGilbert Ward Academy
Who goes there
In 2026, 8 pupils (38.1%) received SEN support and 4 (19%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Blyth Bebside Railway Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Scott Street (on), 170 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Apex 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 18 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Northumberland (44).
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 · 1 year agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's September 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Apex Academy has put considerable thought into creating a safe, supportive learning environment. The school is committed to supporting pupils with special educational needs through expert staff and a graduated approach model. Teachers will have time to work together and adapt lessons to meet individual pupil needs, with assessment on entry helping staff understand each child's starting point.
Key Strengths
- Strong safeguarding policies and systems in place with clear procedures for recording and responding to concerns
- Comprehensive behaviour policy based on research, promoting positive culture and restorative practices
- Detailed curriculum planning including enrichment activities, careers education aligned with Gatsby Benchmarks, and daily personal development teaching
- Qualified teachers with subject expertise planned, with dedicated time for professional development and collaborative planning
- Well-maintained premises with appropriate health and safety checks, fire safety equipment, and risk assessments for activities
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective - the school has an up-to-date policy that sets out contextual risks, clear expectations for staff, relevant local authority contact details, and a system in place for recording concerns with timely review by the designated safeguarding lead.
Extracurricular Activities
School council, trips to places of worship, assemblies on criminal exploitation/drugs/alcohol/healthy relationships, local MP visits
The Apex Academy is a new independent school currently operating without registration that is likely to meet all independent school standards. It will cater for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, with a planned staff-to-pupil ratio of one to five.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with The Apex Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 Northumberland is 3 (the median across 175 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
School Occupancy
42%
Available places
21 pupils
50 places
29 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - East Hartford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for East Hartford
Across Northumberland council
Places available
2,104
Applications
1,819
Got 1st preference
96.0%
Got preferred school
97.7%
All secondary applications across Northumberland council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
8
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
57.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Apex Academy is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
21
Total Pupils
13
Boys
8
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about The Apex Academy
How many pupils go to The Apex Academy?
The Apex Academy has around 21 pupils on roll.
Does The Apex Academy have specialist SEN provision?
The Apex Academy is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to The Apex Academy?
The Apex Academy is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near The Apex Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Northumberland is 3 (the median across 175 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Apex Academy?
The Apex Academy is at Old Hartford School, Scott Street, East Hartford, Northumberland, NE23 3AR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)