The Northern School of Art has closed (Friday 31 July 2026).
The information below is kept for reference.
The Northern School of Art, Middlesbrough
The Northern School of Art is a post-16 school for pupils aged 16 to 99 in Middlesbrough.
Data last updated 8 Oct 2026
The Northern School of Art in detail
The Northern School of Art in its own words
In its own words: "The Northern College of Art has been part of Middlesbrough’s creative landscape since 1870, when the original Middlesbrough School of Art opened its doors."
Coming up: an open day on Saturday 14 November 2026, an open day on Saturday 21 November 2026, an open day on Saturday 28 November 2026 and an open day on Saturday 9 January 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Middlesbrough
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Where pupils go next
Of the 264 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 51% went on to university or other higher education, 2% to apprenticeships and 12% into work. 5% went to one of the most selective third of universities.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is James Cook Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cleveland College of Art & Design (a), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Northern School of Art stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
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
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Northern School of Art excels at teaching creative arts with highly experienced, practising professionals who bring real industry knowledge to the classroom. Learners develop practical skills rapidly through hands-on work with specialist equipment, and the school works closely with employers to ensure students learn up-to-date skills that match what creative industries actually need. Almost all learners complete their courses, achieve at high levels, and go on successfully to higher education or creative careers.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional behaviour and attitudes - learners work extremely hard, participate fully, and treat the school as a supportive community
- Outstanding teaching with highly experienced lecturers who have real industry experience and use effective strategies to help learners develop practical skills
- Strong employer engagement - staff work closely with creative industry partners to ensure curriculum is current and relevant, with learners completing real commercial projects
- Excellent progression outcomes - learners are very well prepared for next steps into higher education, further education or creative industry careers
- Highly specialised equipment and resources that enhance learning across all creative arts subjects
Areas for Improvement
- Individual learning plans for students with special educational needs are newly introduced, so impact on target-setting and progress monitoring is not yet fully evident
Safeguarding
Learners feel safe and know how to keep themselves and others safe, with clear understanding of what to do if they have concerns and confidence that staff will provide needed support.
Extracurricular Activities
Work experience and commercial projects with employers, industry briefs and assessments from external stakeholders, professional networking opportunities in creative industries
The Northern School of Art is a further and higher education art and design college in Middlesbrough with 639 learners studying creative arts programmes including vocational qualifications, A levels, and access to higher education courses.
About
The Northern School of Art is a further and higher education art and design college, based in Middlesbrough and Hartlepool in the north-east of England. The college was called Cleveland College of Art and Design after the former non-metropolitan county of Cleveland, operational from 1974 to 1996.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Special Measures
Sixth Form Performance (A-Level)
A-Level Results
C+
Average grade
34.6
Points per entry
C+
Best 3 A-Levels
0%
Achieving AAB+
Average
Value added
10
A-Level students
82%
Retention rate
2024/25 academic year
A-Level Subjects Offered
2024/25 academic year - entries by number of students
After A-Levels - Leaver Destinations
After A-Levels (Year 13) - 264 students
2023/24 data
University & Higher Education Destinations
5%
Top-third university
66%
Degree course
67%
Any L4+ destination
1%
Apprenticeships
Based on 188 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
Latest from The Northern School of Art
Spotlight on BA (Hons) Fine Art graduate and New Graduate Award winner Eva Grinvalde
30 Sep 2026
Acting Lecturer Katy Weir Returns from International Directors Lab in Canada
29 Sep 2026
Mapping Connections: MA graduates showcase their artwork at Little Boro for Middlesbrough Art Week and Turner on the Tees!
26 Sep 2026
Bringing Sense and Sensibility to life: Alison Lyons on costume behind the scenes
25 Sep 2026
BA (Hons) Fine Art graduate Leoni Dingwall takes her next steps as an emerging artist with The New Graduate Award!
24 Sep 2026
Alumni Spotlight: Jake Lowes, Senior Graphic Designer at Barbour
24 Sep 2026
From The Northern School of Art's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with The Northern School of Art
Getting There
Bus Stops
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - Middlesbrough
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Middlesbrough
Across Middlesbrough council
Places available
1,884
Applications
1,913
Got 1st preference
84.3%
Got preferred school
96.3%
All secondary applications across Middlesbrough council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
Questions parents ask about The Northern School of Art
What is the catchment area for The Northern School of Art?
No fixed boundary. When The Northern School of Art is oversubscribed, Middlesbrough allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How do I apply to The Northern School of Art?
Apply through Middlesbrough's coordinated admissions process, naming The Northern School of Art 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.
Where is The Northern School of Art?
The Northern School of Art is at Newport Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 1LA.