Thorp Academy, Ryton
Thorp Academy is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 18 in Ryton, part of Northern Education Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 5th-highest of the 10 schools in Gateshead with published results, and 1,011th of 3,298 across England. It was 98% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
- Progress (2024)
- Below average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Gateshead (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Thorp Academy in detail
Results
In 2026, pupils at Thorp Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 49.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 48.3 in Gateshead and 47 across England.
59% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 50% in Gateshead and 47% in England.
That is up from 47.2 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.12: 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 37.6, against 54.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 16.8 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 26 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and French.
Getting a place at Thorp Academy
For September 2026 entry, 205 families put Thorp Academy as their first choice and 356 named it as one of their preferences, for 242 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Thorp Academy are Walbottle Academy (2.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46.3); St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon (2.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 52); Prudhoe Community High School (3.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46.1); and Excelsior Academy (3.4 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 34.4).
Thorp Academy's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Walbottle AcademySt Thomas More Catholic School, BlaydonPrudhoe Community High SchoolExcelsior Academy
The trust
Thorp Academy is one of 30 schools run by Northern Education Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 47.5 in 2024/25.
Where pupils go next
Of the 215 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 80% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 43% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.
Of the 74 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 37% went on to university or other higher education, 14% to apprenticeships and 28% into work. 15% went to one of the most selective third of universities.
Who goes there
2.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 218 pupils (15.1%) received SEN support and 43 (3%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is autism.
Thorp Academy has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and moderate learning difficulties: 15 places, 10 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Wylam Rail Station, about 1.6 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Thorp Academy (s-bound), 30 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Thorp Academy issued 943 suspensions, 63 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 5 permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Thorp Academy are Ryton Community Infant School (under 0.1 miles); Ryton Junior School (0.1 miles); Emmaville Primary School (0.6 miles); and St Agnes' Catholic Primary School, Crawcrook (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Ryton Community Infant SchoolRyton Junior SchoolEmmaville Primary SchoolSt Agnes' Catholic Primary School, Crawcrook
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from April 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
This is an inclusive and ambitious school. Staff are committed to supporting and developing every pupil. They celebrate pupils' achievements daily. This motivates pupils and strengthens their self-belief. Pupils are polite and friendly. They show a respect for others and form positive relationships with their peers and with staff.
The school has high expectations for what pupils can achieve. The school's ambitious curriculum reflects this. Pupils get the help they need to overcome any barriers to their learning. They work hard in lessons and produce work of a high quality. Pupils achieve well.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has developed a broad and ambitious curriculum. The curriculum is well sequenced. Pupils build their knowledge and subject-specific skills in a progressive manner. At key stage 4, a large majority of pupils study for the English Baccalaureate. There is also a range of vocational courses. These courses meet pupils' needs and interests and reflect local employment opportunities. The school has ensured that there are both academic and vocational curriculum pathways, from key stage 4 into the sixth form. The school prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education, training and employment.
Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) study the same curriculum as their peers. The school identifies pupils' needs well. Pupils with SEND get the additional support they need. This includes specific, personalised support for pupils who access the specially resourced provision. The school is effective in meeting the needs of pupils with SEND. This enables pupils with SEND to achieve well from their individual starting points.
From Ofsted's June 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its April 2019 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
About
Thorp Academy is a large 11–18 secondary Academy in Ryton, Tyne & Wear, England. The academy is named after the 19th century churchman and rector, Charles Thorp, who went on to found Durham University.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
24.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: SpLD, Vision, Hearing +6
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has declined from 0.01 to -0.12 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has improved from 48.8 to 49.8 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has improved from 54% to 59% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 49.8 | 58.5% |
| Disadvantaged(65) | - | 37.6 | 35.4% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(171) | - | 54.4 | 67.3% |
| Boys(119) | - | 48.1 | 57.1% |
| Girls(117) | - | 51.5 | 59.8% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(9) | - | 57.4 | 55.6% |
| Non mobile(231) | - | 50.4 | 59.3% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 6 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 215 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
5
Permanent exclusions
0.33%
Exclusion rate
943
Suspensions
63.03%
Suspension rate
169 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 1,496 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with Thorp Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Thorp Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Thorp Academy is in Gateshead; for families living there:
Apply to Gateshead for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 9 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
2 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 Gateshead is 11 (the median across 93 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
Your chances of a place at Thorp Academy
Will you get a place at Thorp Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Thorp Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Thorp Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Thorp Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Gateshead, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Thorp Academy for 2015 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Gateshead got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
98%
Near capacity
1,484 pupils
1,511 places
27 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Ryton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Ryton
Across Gateshead council
Places available
2,288
Applications
1,850
Got 1st preference
87.1%
Got preferred school
97.7%
All secondary applications across Gateshead council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
218
SEN Support
43
EHC Plans
18.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Thorp Academy has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and moderate learning difficulties: 15 places, 10 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
1,442
Total Pupils
759
Boys
683
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
84
Teachers
17.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,224
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,798
Per pupil
£9795k
Total funding
£345k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.3%
Overall absence
25.8%
Persistent absence
1,413
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Thorp Academy
What are GCSE results like at Thorp Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Thorp Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 49.8. 59% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Thorp Academy's Ofsted rating?
Thorp Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in April 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Thorp Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Thorp Academy is oversubscribed, Gateshead allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Thorp Academy?
Thorp Academy was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Thorp Academy?
Classes at Thorp Academy average 20.1 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Thorp Academy?
Thorp Academy has around 1442 pupils on roll. 25% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Thorp Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Thorp Academy has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and moderate learning difficulties: 15 places, 10 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Thorp Academy?
10.3% of sessions were missed at Thorp Academy in 2024/25. 25.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Thorp Academy?
Apply through Gateshead's coordinated admissions process, naming Thorp Academy on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Thorp Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 9 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 2 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 Gateshead is 11 (the median across 93 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Thorp Academy?
Thorp Academy is at Main Road, Ryton, Tyne and Wear, NE40 3AH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)