Ashington Academy
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 964 pupils
81% stayed in education · Attainment 8 47.1
Academy converter
The King Edward VI School
- Pupils on roll
- 1,426of 1,506 places
- Free school meals
- 13.4%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 337
- Ofsted
- Inspected, 5 November 2024Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: The King Edward VI School (URN 122365, until 1 December 2011).
What the data says
Of the 319 pupils who finished Year 11 at The King Edward VI School in 2023, 57% stayed on in The King Edward VI School’s own sixth form (Northumberland average 43%), 26% went to a further education college and 7% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 217 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 49% went to university (Northumberland 48%, England 37%), and 37% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Art and Design is unusually popular at GCSE: 20% of the year group took it, against 7% of pupils across England.
GCSE results in 2025 were above the national picture: Attainment 8 of 52.2 against 46.1 across England and 44.0 in Northumberland, with 58% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Northumberland and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The King Edward VI School | Northumberland | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 319 | 3,151 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 96% | 91% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 84% | 81% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 57% | 43% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 0% | 0% | 13% |
| — further education college | 26% | 36% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 2% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 7% | 6% | 3% |
| Employment | 5% | 4% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 3% | 7% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 2% | 3% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The King Edward VI School | Northumberland | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 217 | 1,385 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 84% | 87% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 49% | 48% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 37% | 28% | 19% |
| Further education | 2% | 3% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 8% | 11% | 7% |
| Employment | 24% | 25% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 10% | 10% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | The King Edward VI School | Northumberland | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 52.2 | 44.0 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 58% | 42% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 79% | 63% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 35% | 32% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.54 | 3.82 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 13% | 27% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 34.4 | 30.9 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 54.8 | 48.9 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 2% | 3% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 336 | 100% | 89% | 19% | 20% | 77% |
| Mathematics | 336 | 100% | 88% | 22% | 22% | 85% |
| English Literature | 326 | 97% | 86% | 22% | 21% | 83% |
| Combined Science | 265 | 79% | 65% | 12% | 9% | 75% |
| Geography | 168 | 50% | 41% | 27% | 25% | 82% |
| Business Studies | 141 | 42% | 18% | 36% | 20% | 80% |
| History | 123 | 36% | 41% | 32% | 26% | 75% |
| Spanish | 97 | 29% | 19% | 25% | 27% | 74% |
| Graphic Communication | 73 | 22% | 1% | 51% | 23% | 99% |
| Physics | 69 | 20% | 23% | 55% | 46% | 96% |
| Biology | 68 | 20% | 23% | 44% | 45% | 99% |
| Chemistry | 68 | 20% | 23% | 47% | 47% | 99% |
| Art and Design | 68 | 20% | 7% | 41% | 24% | 99% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 65 | 19% | 8% | 29% | 21% | 75% |
| French | 63 | 19% | 18% | 32% | 29% | 87% |
| Physical Education | 63 | 19% | 11% | 25% | 24% | 86% |
| Design and Technology | 56 | 17% | 11% | 39% | 23% | 93% |
| Religious Studies | 53 | 16% | 31% | 47% | 32% | 85% |
| Drama | 49 | 15% | 7% | 18% | 27% | 84% |
| Computer Science | 29 | 9% | 13% | 28% | 30% | 76% |
| Music | 18 | 5% | 5% | 67% | 33% | 94% |
| Statistics | 3 | 1% | 5% | — | 20% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Studies | 44 | 24% | — |
| Childcare Skills | 38 | 21% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 17 | 9% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | The King Edward VI School | Northumberland | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 362 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 180 | 1,089 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | B- | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 36.91 | 34.22 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | B- | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 16% | 17% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 48 | 27% | 23% |
| Mathematics | 45 | 25% | 31% |
| Business Studies | 39 | 22% | 13% |
| Biology | 29 | 16% | 20% |
| Economics | 27 | 15% | 13% |
| Geography | 26 | 14% | 10% |
| History | 26 | 14% | 13% |
| Physics | 26 | 14% | 12% |
| English Literature | 23 | 13% | 11% |
| Sociology | 23 | 13% | 13% |
| Art and Design | 21 | 12% | 1% |
| Chemistry | 20 | 11% | 17% |
| English Language | 18 | 10% | 4% |
| Graphic Communication | 14 | 8% | 2% |
| Drama | 12 | 7% | 2% |
| Religious Studies | 12 | 7% | 4% |
| Media Studies | 12 | 7% | 4% |
| Product Design | 10 | 6% | 2% |
| Photography | 9 | 5% | 3% |
| French | 7 | 4% | 1% |
| Further Mathematics | 7 | 4% | 5% |
| Spanish | 6 | 3% | 2% |
| Music | 6 | 3% | 0% |
| Turkish | — | — | 0% |
| Music Technology | — | — | 0% |
| Computer Science | — | — | 5% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 44 | 24% | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 26 | 14% | — |
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | 26 | 14% | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 15 | 8% | — |
| Childcare Skills | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 7 | 4% | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Psychology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Sociology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Psychology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Sociology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | OCR Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma at Level 3 | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Northumberland
Bede Academy
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 2,030 pupils
79% stayed in education · Attainment 8 48.9
Bedlington Academy
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 822 pupils
76% stayed in education · Attainment 8 47.4
Berwick Academy
Academy converter · sixth form · 601 pupils
73% stayed in education · Attainment 8 40.3
Coquet Community School
Community school · sixth form · 567 pupils
81% stayed in education · Attainment 8 34.9
Cramlington Learning Village
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,989 pupils
80% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.7
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.