North Shore Academy

North Shore Academy

Address: Talbot Street, TS20 2AY Unique reference number (URN): 136146

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, progress effectively through the curriculum and produce high-quality work. They write at length using ambitious language and demonstrate secure knowledge across subjects. Leaders’ relentless focus on reading has a clear impact. Pupils who need support improve quickly and go on to achieve highly. Older pupils enjoy borrowing books from the library and reading challenging texts in class. They take pride in these achievements, which motivates them to succeed more and show how far they have come in their learning.

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Achievement Strong standard

Outcomes in national tests are regularly above the national averages and gaps between different groups of pupils are narrowing over time. When groups are considered separately, pupils achieve higher than national averages. Pupils are being well prepared for their next steps.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum that is carefully sequenced across all subjects and year groups. Subject leaders, with staff, keep the curriculum under review to make sure it continues to meet pupils’ needs. Staff understand how pupils learn and use this knowledge to make effective decisions in lessons. They adapt the curriculum and teaching so that every pupil can succeed. Teachers know their subjects well and use strategies such as instant feedback and regular checks to help pupils learn and retain more knowledge.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Both in and out of the classroom, leaders focus on building pupils' firm foundations in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils catch up quickly when needed. Teachers support reading well. For example, consistent whole-class approaches help pupils to understand and use more complex vocabulary. Over time, pupils learn to recall and apply these words without effort.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teachers use assessment well to spot gaps and adjust teaching. This includes well-planned recall quizzes. Pupils who are disadvantaged, have special educational needs and/or disabilities, or face other barriers learn successfully. This is because staff hold high expectations and make the right adjustments. Pupils enjoy their learning and are motivated to succeed. They appreciate how teachers skilfully help them to build knowledge and confidence over time.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders create an inclusive culture where staff quickly identify pupils’ needs and provide the right support. Disadvantaged pupils, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and pupils known to children’s social care receive well-planned help that removes any barriers to their learning and wellbeing. Pupils value the school’s ‘bridge’ provision, which offers a calm, welcoming space for those who require quieter areas or extra support. This helps them to develop a sense of belonging and join in successfully with school life.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders check pupils’ progress through the curriculum carefully through weekly inclusion meetings. They plan interventions that make a positive difference to pupils’ learning and wellbeing. All staff receive high-quality training so they can use inclusive strategies confidently in lessons. Leaders work closely with families and outside agencies, such as the virtual school, to secure specialist help. This collaborative work is key to meeting pupils’ needs and successfully raising their aspirations. Leaders use the pupil premium funding effectively so that disadvantaged pupils can enjoy valuable enrichment opportunities and achieve well. Leaders maintain a detailed oversight of any alternative provision to make sure pupils continue to succeed. The commitment to inclusion throughout the school means pupils thrive both academically and personally.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders and governors have a precise understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They use detailed analysis well to drive sustained improvement. Strategic priorities are clear and well executed, with inclusion and ambition embedded throughout. Decisions consistently place pupils’ best interests at the centre, including those who are disadvantaged, have special educational needs and/or disabilities, or are known to children’s social care. Leaders act swiftly to remove barriers to learning and wellbeing, supported by positive relationships with families and external agencies. Governance is effective. Trustees and local academy council members meet statutory duties and provide robust challenge and support. They ensure resources are managed well and improvement is sustained.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Professional development is high-quality, evidence-informed and coherent. The trust-wide ‘staff college’ and leadership development model builds expertise at all levels, helping to accelerate staff into positions of responsibility. Early career teachers benefit from highly effective, structured support. Staff report feeling highly valued and able to focus on their work due to leaders’ positive actions on workload and wellbeing. High-quality subject and teaching development underpins the impressive outcomes pupils achieve. Leaders’ actions are improving all areas of the school, reflecting their relentless drive for excellence.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have designed a clear and ambitious programme for pupils’ personal development. It gives pupils the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to thrive in later life. Staff teach pupils to reflect on their experiences, show tolerance and embrace British values. Daily ‘snippets’ provide bite-sized information to deepen this learning.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils understand important topics, such as religion, relationships and responsibilities. This helps them to think carefully about issues like consent and risks in the wider world. They show respect for others’ values and beliefs, including through visits to places of worship, such as a mosque. These experiences broaden pupils’ cultural understanding and prepare them well for life in modern Britain.

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Expected standard

Pupils enjoy earning ‘iAspire’ badges by taking part in a wide range of activities. They attend after-school clubs and some compete nationally. Many pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, discover talents and interests they did not know they had. They are proud of these achievements.

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Expected standard

The school council is active and influential. Student leaders make real changes, such as improving the school menu. Through council elections, pupils learn about democracy in action.

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Expected standard

Careers education is comprehensive. Pupils value one-to-one interviews and opportunities to meet local employers. They enjoy visiting a range of universities. Pupils speak confidently about their ambitions and the steps they need to take to achieve them.

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Expected standard

All of this work is supported by high-quality pastoral care. The school places a high priority on ensuring pupils have a sense of belonging. Positive relationships sit at the heart of this. Staff teach pupils to respect others and to be kind. Pupils feel safe, motivated and ready to try new things. They leave school confident, resilient and aspirational for the future. They are proud of their school and their community.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders understand attendance patterns and act quickly when issues arise. They use effective systems to spot barriers early. A skilled attendance team effectively shapes their work to meet the needs of individual pupils and their families. Where needed, staff put targeted interventions and reasonable adjustments in place. The school’s positive ethos means most pupils enjoy coming to school. Attendance is improving over time. Leaders work closely with families and external agencies to remove obstacles to high attendance. Despite this, improvement is not yet consistent or rapid across all groups. Persistent absence remains a challenge. Leaders know this and continue to strive to find better ways to help all pupils to attend regularly.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

The school is calm, orderly and respectful. Staff set high expectations and apply behaviour policies well. Pupils behave positively and show commitment to their learning. Pupils and parents value the culture of care and support. Respectful and warm relationships are the norm. Bullying and discrimination are rare and dealt with promptly. When behaviour falls below expectations, staff help pupils to learn from their mistakes. A wide range of interventions has improved behaviour for specific groups and individuals. Praise is used thoughtfully and consistently. Pupils love weekly ‘proud’ events, where they can share their best work.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils attend a school where they feel safe, valued and capable of success. There is a welcoming warmth throughout the school. Pupils enjoy being part of a community that celebrates their achievements and helps them aim for a brighter future. They eagerly share ‘proud postcards’, applaud each other’s successes and look forward to showcasing their best work on ‘Proud Friday’. When life brings challenges, pupils know staff understand and will work hard to remove barriers so they can continue to blossom.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Classrooms are calm and respectful. Pupils rise to high expectations and take pride in producing ambitious work. They speak confidently about what they know and can do. Reading is a strength. It opens doors to success across the curriculum. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged achieve well and enjoy the same ambitious expectations as their peers. Bullying is rare and dealt with quickly. Pupils trust the staff and feel they belong here.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Life at this school is full of opportunities. Pupils earn ‘iAspire badges’, discover new talents and take part in activities from sports to creative arts. They enjoy cultural experiences, such as visiting the theatre and local museums. Careers education inspires pupils to set ambitious goals, meet employers and explore future pathways.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils know positive behaviour matters. They also enjoy coming to school. Most meet the school’s attendance expectations, but the school continues to work on improving attendance so that every pupil benefits fully from their rich offer.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils leave this school confident, resilient and proud. Not just of their achievements, but of the community they belong to. They see role models every day and learn to become role models themselves. For many, this school is a guiding influence that helps to shape their future.

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Next steps

• Leaders should build on current strategies so that their actions lead to rapid and notable improvements in attendance for all pupils and groups.

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Team inspectors:

Richard Wakefield, His Majesty's Inspector Chris Sergeant, His Majesty's Inspector Nikki Heron, His Majesty's Inspector Philip Wheatley, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Northern Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Jane Wilson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mark Sanders.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with senior leaders, trust executive principals, the deputy chief executive officer, the vice-chair of the trust board and the chair of the local academy council during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school includes a specially resourced provision for 10 pupils with an education, health and care plan and have communication and interaction needs. There are currently 2 pupils on roll in this provision.

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About this inspection

The school makes use of 3 alternative provisions, including 2 that are unregistered.

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About this inspection

The school has undergone a significant change since the last inspection. The current principal was appointed in June 2025.

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About this inspection

Principal: Rob Byrne This data is from 6 January 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (if applicable).

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English and maths GCSE

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Attainment 8

A measure of pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Progress 8

How much progress pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk . Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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