West Newcastle Academy, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
West Newcastle Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 77th-highest of the 94 schools in Newcastle-upon-Tyne with published results, and 11,035th of 14,452 across England. It was 88% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Newcastle upon Tyne (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
West Newcastle Academy in detail
Results
In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils at West Newcastle Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 61% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 77% in Newcastle upon Tyne and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (60% in reading, 72% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at West Newcastle Academy
For September 2026 entry, 8 families put West Newcastle Academy as their first choice and 36 named it as one of their preferences, for 8 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at West Newcastle Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to West Newcastle Academy are St Johns Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 50% reading, 67% maths); Atkinson Road Primary Academy (0.2 miles, Good, 74% reading, 78% maths); St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Benwell (0.3 miles, 81% reading, 81% maths); and Canning Street Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 51% reading, 54% maths).
West Newcastle Academy's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
St Johns Primary SchoolAtkinson Road Primary AcademySt Joseph's Catholic Primary School, BenwellCanning Street Primary School
What parents say
67 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about West Newcastle Academy (as of September 2025): 76% would recommend the school, 91% say their child is happy there and 35% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (91%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (35%).
Who goes there
53.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 47% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (33%), Asian (16%) and Black (12%).
Staffing
West Newcastle Academy had 14 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Metrocentre Rail Station, about 1170 metres away (roughly a 15-minute walk).
22 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Armstrong Road-Ethel Street (w-bound), 20 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood West Newcastle Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
West Newcastle Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to West Newcastle Academy are Sacred Heart Catholic High School (1 mile), St Cuthbert's High School (1 mile), Kingsmeadow Community School (1.3 miles) and Excelsior Academy (1.3 miles).
Sacred Heart Catholic High SchoolSt Cuthbert's High SchoolKingsmeadow Community SchoolExcelsior Academy
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; 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 June 2019, 7 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
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
West Newcastle Academy creates a welcoming, harmonious environment where children from all backgrounds thrive. The school excels at supporting all learners, including those with special needs and those learning English as an additional language, through high-quality teaching and caring staff. Pupils benefit from rich, memorable learning experiences and an extensive range of clubs and outdoor activities that build confidence and prepare them well for life beyond school.
Key Strengths
- Strong early years provision with talented staff supporting children through a detailed, engaging curriculum
- Well-trained staff delivering phonics teaching with fidelity, enabling pupils to become increasingly fluent readers
- Effective support for pupils with SEND, identified quickly with provision allowing them to achieve and succeed
- Extensive programme of outdoor and community learning that develops resilience, self-belief and confidence
- Positive behaviour across school with calm, purposeful atmosphere
Areas for Improvement
- Phonics outcomes for 2024 were well below national figures
- Checks on pupils' long-term understanding of knowledge are not sufficiently robust, meaning some gaps are not consistently identified and addressed
- High proportion of pupils absent or persistently absent from school, causing them to miss important learning
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Wide range of clubs, outdoor and community learning programmes
West Newcastle Academy is a primary school where pupils live out the school's values of 'ready, respectful, safe' and benefit from high expectations and a well-developed curriculum. The school maintains good quality across education, behaviour, personal development, and leadership.
At a Glance
53.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
67 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 60% to 75% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 72% to 61% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 71% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
22.6
Avg class size
21.7
Infant (KS1)
26.0
KS2
8
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with West Newcastle Academy
Before and after school care
West Newcastle Academy is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Newcastle upon Tyne
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near West Newcastle Academy.
- Step2Success Newcastle910m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to West Newcastle Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. West Newcastle Academy is in Newcastle upon Tyne; for families living there:
Apply to Newcastle upon Tyne for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 37
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 37 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 31 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise.
10 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 Newcastle upon Tyne is 23.5 (the median across 112 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 West Newcastle Academy
Will you get a place at West Newcastle Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against West Newcastle Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for West Newcastle Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to West Newcastle Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Newcastle upon Tyne, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at West Newcastle Academy for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Newcastle upon Tyne 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
88%
Available places
184 pupils
210 places
26 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Across Newcastle upon Tyne council
Places available
3,365
Applications
2,886
Got 1st preference
92.7%
Got preferred school
98.6%
All primary applications across Newcastle upon Tyne council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
37
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
23.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
181
Total Pupils
94
Boys
87
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
12.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£43,129
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,393
Per pupil
£1363k
Total funding
£126k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.5%
Overall absence
28.7%
Persistent absence
178
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Questions parents ask about West Newcastle Academy
What are SATs results like at West Newcastle Academy?
Of the pupils at West Newcastle Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 75% reached the expected standard in reading and 61% did so in maths.
What is West Newcastle Academy's Ofsted rating?
West Newcastle Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for West Newcastle Academy?
No fixed boundary. When West Newcastle Academy is oversubscribed, Newcastle upon Tyne allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at West Newcastle Academy?
West Newcastle Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 88% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at West Newcastle Academy?
Classes at West Newcastle Academy average 22.6 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to West Newcastle Academy?
West Newcastle Academy has around 181 pupils on roll. 54% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at West Newcastle Academy?
8.5% of sessions were missed at West Newcastle Academy in 2024/25. 28.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to West Newcastle Academy?
Apply through Newcastle upon Tyne's coordinated admissions process, naming West Newcastle Academy on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does West Newcastle Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
West Newcastle Academy is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of West Newcastle Academy: Step2Success Newcastle (910m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near West Newcastle Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 37 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 31 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise. 10 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 Newcastle upon Tyne is 23.5 (the median across 112 schools, same distance and years).
Where is West Newcastle Academy?
West Newcastle Academy is at Off Armstrong Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE4 8QP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)