Cramlington Learning Village Review 2026: Big-school scale, clear structures, and a distinctive Learning Village model

A large 11 to 18 academy, built to operate more like a set of connected mini-schools than a single corridor-and-classroom secondary. Capacity is 2,218 pupils, with just over 2,000 on roll in the most recent published data.

Co-headteachers Jon Bird and Kim Irving have led since September 2021, following Wendy Heslop’s retirement. The latest Ofsted inspection (30 and 31 March 2022) confirmed the school continues to be Good, and safeguarding is effective.

Parents considering the next few years will also want to note the scale of change on the horizon. A new building is underway as part of the Department for Education Schools Rebuilding Programme, with construction beginning in September 2025 after local planning approval in April 2025.

The defining feature is the Learning Village structure. Students move through Junior Learning Village (Years 7 to 8), Senior Learning Village (Years 9 to 11), and Advanced Learning Village (Years 12 to 13). That organisation matters because it shapes daily life, pastoral oversight, and the transition points that parents often worry about most.

The physical design reinforces this identity. The Junior Learning Village atrium is covered by a barrel-vaulted tensile fabric roof made from PTFE-coated glass cloth, comprising seven vaults across more than 700 square metres. It was designed to weather-proof the central street area and create a focal point for the grouped school blocks. Alongside it sits the Faraday Extension, a biome-style learning space described as being based on the same principles as the Eden Project, intended to support study of plants and climates from around the world.

Ethos is expressed in plain language rather than slogans. The school positions itself as built on respect, with a stated aim to develop resilient learners, expert readers, knowledge explorers, and responsible citizens. That focus on reading shows up as a concrete priority, with dedicated reading lessons in Years 7 and 8 and a strong emphasis on catching up quickly where gaps appear.

Outcomes sit in the broad middle of England performance tables, with some clear positives and some areas families should weigh carefully.

GCSE performance and ranking (FindMySchool)

Ranked 2,145th in England and 1st in Cramlington for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school’s position is in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). The Attainment 8 score is 46.6. Progress 8 is -0.15, which indicates students make slightly below-average progress from their starting points.

EBacc outcomes are a useful additional lens. The average EBacc APS is 3.94, and 11.7% achieved grade 5 or above across the EBacc.

A-level performance and ranking (FindMySchool)

Ranked 1,328th in England and 1st in Cramlington for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), results similarly sit around the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). Grade distribution is: A* 6.75%, A 14.42%, B 23.01%, and A* to B 44.17%. England average A* to B is 47.2%.

The headline implication is straightforward. Academic pathways are there, including a full sixth form offer, but families whose child needs consistently above-average progress measures may want to interrogate subject-by-subject support and assessment practice at key stage 3 and GCSE.

A strength here is the intent to connect curriculum knowledge across subjects, rather than teaching isolated units. Curriculum planning is framed around carefully sequenced knowledge, vocabulary development, and structured reading approaches that sit across departments.

The reading strategy is unusually tangible for a large secondary. Years 7 and 8 have dedicated reading lessons, and there is specific support for students who struggle with different aspects of reading. That matters most for families who worry about the jump from primary, particularly for children whose confidence is dented by a new setting.

The key area to watch is consistency in assessment design at key stage 3. Where assessment aligns closely with what has been taught, it helps teachers spot gaps quickly. Where it relies on generic GCSE-style tasks too early, it can drift away from the component knowledge students are meant to secure first.

The sixth form pitch is anchored in guidance and progression support. The post-16 materials describe structured UCAS support, including personal statement guidance, course choice, and visiting speakers and professionals, plus encouragement for work placements.

For the 2023/24 leavers cohort (cohort size 134), 60% progressed to university. Apprenticeships accounted for 8%, employment for 22%, and further education for 1%. This mix suggests a sixth form serving a broad range of outcomes rather than a single university-only track.

Financial support at sixth form level is also signposted. The school states it intends to offer the 16 to 19 bursary again in 2025 (subject to funding confirmation), including guaranteed eligibility categories such as care leavers and certain benefits-related criteria, plus discretionary support for hardship.

Year 7 entry follows Northumberland’s coordinated admissions process rather than direct application to the school. The school directs families to the council’s admissions information for policy and key dates.

For September 2026 entry, Northumberland’s published coordinated timetable sets out a 12 September 2025 opening date for applications and a closing date of midnight 31 October 2025. Offers are scheduled for 1 March 2026, with subsequent reallocation and appeals timelines also set out.

No “last distance offered” figure is available here, so families should treat catchment assumptions cautiously. If proximity is likely to matter for your application, the FindMySchool Map Search can still help you understand practical travel distance and compare options across the local area, but you will need the council’s oversubscription criteria and live admissions data for the decisive details.

Sixth form entry is a separate decision point. The school describes an interview stage for interested students (with parents or carers invited) and states it will use GCSE results to guide students onto an appropriate pathway. For external applicants, families should check the latest sixth form prospectus and application steps on the school website, as timing can shift year to year.

Pastoral systems lean heavily into relationships education and proactive safeguarding culture. Anti-bullying is framed as a core expectation, with multiple reporting routes and a clear emphasis on follow-through.

Personal, Social, Health Education is structured across year groups, with explicit coverage of consent, personal safety, and mental health, supported by wellbeing days and external speakers. The practical implication is that families should expect a school that treats wellbeing and personal development as timetable content, not just an add-on.

Extracurricular life is broad and, importantly, named. Options include Phoenix Newspaper, Mock Trials Group, Debating Group, Book Club, Reading Champions, Gardening Group, Shakespeare Stars, Sketchbook Circle, and Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award, alongside music groups such as Orchestra, Show Band, and Singing Ensemble.

Sport is a major pillar, supported by facilities branded as Cramlington Sporting Club. The school lists 3G football pitches, indoor sports halls, outdoor tennis and netball courts, cricket and rugby pitches, plus a dance and exercise studio, with community clubs using the site outside school hours. The practical implication is more fixture time, more training options, and a clearer route into community sport for students who want it.

There are also structured enrichment models within the timetable. The Parents’ Book describes Challenge Wednesday as part of the Year 7 enrichment curriculum, which signals a deliberate approach to transition and engagement in the first year of secondary.

Students are welcomed on site from 8:15am. Breakfast provision operates in the Knowledge Café for Junior Learning Village students and the Inspire Café for Senior and Advanced Learning Village students. The school day typically runs 8:40am to 3:20pm, with an earlier finish of 2:30pm on Wednesdays.

Term dates for 2025/26 are published by the school and include several staff training days alongside the standard holiday structure. For transport, the school is in Highburn; many families will consider a mix of walking, cycling, local buses, and rail via Cramlington station depending on where they live.

• Progress measure is slightly below average. Progress 8 is -0.15, so it is worth asking how the school targets support by subject, especially for students who need rapid catch-up after Year 7.

• Assessment consistency at key stage 3 is a stated improvement area. Families should ask how assessments in Years 7 to 9 are designed to reflect the taught curriculum, and how feedback is used to close gaps.

• A major rebuild is in progress. A new building project began construction in September 2025. That investment is positive long term, but it can mean short-term logistics changes around site access, noise, and circulation.

• Big-school scale is a feature, not a footnote. The Learning Village model can suit students who like structure and choice, but some children prefer smaller settings where everything happens in one building with one pastoral team.

This is a large, organised 11 to 18 school with a clear internal structure, explicit reading and curriculum intent, and a busy enrichment offer that extends well beyond generic clubs. Results sit in the typical England band, with A-level outcomes close to England averages on A* to B, and a Progress 8 measure that points to the importance of consistent academic tracking.

Best suited to students who will benefit from breadth, facilities, and structured transition through the Learning Village stages, and to families who want a sixth form that supports university, apprenticeships, and employment routes rather than only one destination type.