Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Popular emoji_events #8 in Newcastle upon Tyne public Top 42% UK

Walker Riverside Academy

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMr Gareth Smith

corporate_fareTYNE COAST ACADEMY TRUST

location_onNewcastle-upon-Tyne, NE6 4AW

language Visit Website phone 1912958660

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2024

groups

Students

1,158

trending_up

Attainment 8

35.5

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GCSE Rank

#8 in Newcastle upon Tyne

#2,993 of 3,216 nationally

summarize

Walker Riverside Academy is a Academy converter secondary school in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, serving ages 11-18. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards. Demand is above capacity (1.4×) — apply through your local authority on time.

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School Summary

Walker Riverside Academy is an academy converter in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, admitting pupils aged 11-18. It has a sixth form offering post-16 education. It is part of TYNE COAST ACADEMY TRUST. The school has approximately 1,123 pupils on roll, of whom 68% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 35.5, placing the school #8 in Newcastle upon Tyne and #2,993 of 3,216 nationally. 21.90% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 7.8% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2024. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Requires improvement, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Good.

The school is oversubscribed — in the most recent cycle, there were 1.4× as many applications as places, making a successful application competitive.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 14.8:1. There is 1 teaching vacancy.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 6 permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 19.1 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

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Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

35.5

Grade 5+ E&M

21.90%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)7.8%

Entering EBacc41.60%

EBacc APS3.08

2024

Progress 8 Score

-0.92

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc32.50%

EBacc APS3.18

2023

Progress 8 Score

-1.21

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

33.4

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc44%

EBacc APS2.86

2022

Progress 8 Score

-1.14

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

39.6

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc56%

EBacc APS3.36

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc5%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

-0.41

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

38.2

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc22%

EBacc APS3.16

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Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

77%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)70%

Apprenticeships5%

Employment2%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)15%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

87%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)77%

Apprenticeships3%

Employment7%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)12%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

83%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)72%

Apprenticeships4%

Employment6%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)16%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

85%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)80%

Apprenticeships1%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)11%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

88%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)77%

Apprenticeships2%

Employment9%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)12%

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Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

A-level results for students who stayed in sixth form at this school. Value added measures how much progress students made relative to their GCSE starting point.

2025

2024

2023

2022

Source: DfE A Level and Other 16-18 Results

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

24 September 2024

Inspection Report

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14 June 2022

Inspection Report

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03 March 2018

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

4 Evaluations

2024-09-24

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Not Judged

info

Why no overall grade?

From autumn 2024, Ofsted stopped issuing a single headline grade (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate). Instead, each inspection area is graded individually. This follows a major review after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. The overall effectiveness field is left as "Not judged" in the published data.

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2022-06-14

S5 Inspection EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2014-05-21

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2012-12-12

None EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

20.2%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

12.4%(139 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

4pupils

gavel Exclusion recorded

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 1,123 pupils. During this period, there were 227 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 20.2%, which is above the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	1,123	227	20.2%	7.3%	4
2024/25 (Autumn term)	1,117	201	18.0%	7.8%	2
2023/24 (Summer term)	1,110	187	16.8%	7.4%	1
2023/24 (Spring term)	1,109	173	15.6%	7.1%	2
2023/24 (Autumn term)	1,124	172	15.3%	8.2%	7
2022/23 (Summer term)	1,153	93	8.1%	6.6%	3
2022/23 (Spring term)	1,158	85	7.3%	6.4%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	1,157	128	11.1%	5.9%	3
2021/22 (Summer term)	1,193	56	4.7%	4.7%	2
2021/22 (Spring term)	1,192	89	7.5%	4.9%	4
2021/22 (Autumn term)	1,188	7	0.6%	4.4%	1
2020/21 (Summer term)	1,146	26	2.3%	3.6%	2
2020/21 (Spring term)	1,145	3	0.3%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	1,130	9	0.8%	3.9%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	1,098	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	1,098	46	4.2%	3.2%	6
2019/20 (Autumn term)	1,098	62	5.6%	4.2%	2
2018/19 (Summer term)	1,107	43	3.9%	3.1%	3
2018/19 (Spring term)	1,116	56	5.0%	3.8%	1
2018/19 (Autumn term)	1,133	45	4.0%	3.8%	4

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 80 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 51 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 40 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 32 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 31 pupils

Hearing Impairment 11 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 4 pupils

Visual Impairment 1 pupils

Physical Disability 1 pupils

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Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

83.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

85.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

25.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree59%

agree28%

disagree9%

strongly disagree2%

don't know2%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree59%

agree22%

disagree13%

strongly disagree2%

don't know4%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree48%

agree15%

disagree7%

strongly disagree9%

not applicable20%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

yes37%

no63%

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree45%

agree25%

disagree5%

strongly disagree25%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree67%

agree22%

disagree2%

strongly disagree4%

don't know6%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree61%

agree19%

disagree9%

strongly disagree7%

don't know4%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree57%

agree28%

disagree11%

strongly disagree2%

don't know2%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree67%

agree26%

disagree6%

don't know2%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree63%

agree22%

disagree6%

strongly disagree4%

don't know6%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree57%

agree20%

disagree7%

strongly disagree11%

don't know4%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes83%

no17%

Top Secondary Schools in Newcastle upon Tyne

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

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St Mary's Catholic School

Outstanding

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Gosforth Academy

Good

location_on Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE3 2JH

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Jesmond Park Academy

Good

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emoji_events #3 in LA

Sacred Heart Catholic High School

Outstanding

location_on Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE4 9YH

emoji_events #4 in LA

St Cuthbert's High School

Good

location_on Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE15 7PX

emoji_events #5 in LA

Walbottle Academy

Good

location_on Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE15 9TP

emoji_events #6 in LA

View all schools in Newcastle upon Tyne arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Secondary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Secondary Schools in Newcastle upon Tyne

St Mary's Catholic School

Gosforth Academy

Jesmond Park Academy

Sacred Heart Catholic High School

St Cuthbert's High School

Walbottle Academy