Best Secondary Schools in Northumberland 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 15 schools across Northumberland. Updated with 2025–26 data.

How many schools?
15
Open secondary schools in Northumberland
Closed schools excluded
Inspection picture
11 Good or better
of 15 with a historic Ofsted grade
Historic single-word grades · pre-Nov-2025
How is this list ordered?
SNM score
Ponteland High School currently leads
Methodology

Northumberland has 15 open secondary schools. Of the 15 with a published Ofsted inspection, 1 (7%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 73% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, Ponteland High School currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Northumberland follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. Ponteland High School
Secondary
 Good 71 View school
2. The King Edward VI School
Secondary
 Outstanding 63 View school
3. Bedlington Academy
Secondary
 Good 60 View school
4. Ashington Academy
Secondary
 Good 59 View school
5. Queen Elizabeth High School
Secondary
 Good 59 View school
6. Cramlington Learning Village
Secondary
 Good 58 View school
7. Prudhoe Community High School
Secondary
 Good 55 View school
8. Seaton Valley High School
Secondary
 Good 52 View school
9. The Blyth Academy
Secondary
 Good 47 View school
10. St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy
Secondary
 Good 46 View school
11. James Calvert Spence College
Secondary
 Good 38 View school
12. The Duchess's Community High School
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 37 View school
13. Berwick Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 31 View school
14. NCEA Duke's Secondary School
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 24 View school
15. Haydon Bridge High School
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 21 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Northumberland

Best primary schools in NorthumberlandTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in NorthumberlandTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in NorthumberlandPrimary & secondary combined Primary schools in NorthumberlandReception–Year 6 only How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in Newcastle upon TyneCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in North TynesideCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in GatesheadCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in South TynesideCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Northumberland

Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

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Frequently asked questions

How many secondary schools are there in Northumberland?
There are 15 open secondary schools in Northumberland (closed schools are excluded). 1 of the 15 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated secondary schools in Northumberland?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Northumberland is Ponteland High School. The full ranked table above lists the top 15 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Northumberland?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Northumberland?
Primary and secondary applications in Northumberland are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Northumberland council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.