Woodham Academy, Newton Aycliffe

In 2026, pupils at Woodham Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 50.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.6 in County Durham and 47 across England.

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

That is up from 48.2 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.09: pupils made about 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 44, against 53.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 9.9 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Art and Design.

For September 2026 entry, 240 families put Woodham Academy as their first choice and 347 named it as one of their preferences, for 225 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 15 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Woodham Academy are Greenfield Academy (1.6 miles, Attainment 8 37.7); UTC South Durham (2.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 33.4); Aycliffe Secure Centre (2.9 miles); and Ferryhill School (4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 39.7).

Woodham Academy's 2026 results were higher than all 3 of them.

Woodham Academy is one of 10 schools run by Eden Learning Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 47.3 in 2024/25.

Of the 183 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 83% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 49% to a further education college, 6% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

37.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 4.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 154 pupils (14.4%) received SEN support and 25 (2.3%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.

Woodham Academy has a resourced provision for physical disability: 10 places, 1 pupil on roll.

The nearest railway station is Newton Aycliffe Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.

3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Washington Crescent (e-bound), 230 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 216 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, Woodham Academy issued 139 suspensions, 13.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Woodham Academy are St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Newton Aycliffe (0.3 miles); Vane Road Primary School (0.3 miles); Sugar Hill Primary School (0.7 miles); and Woodham Burn Community Primary School and Nursery (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.