The Boulevard Academy Review 2026: An improving Hull secondary with strong community structures

Built on the site of Hull FC’s former Boulevard ground, this is a relatively new secondary serving west Hull, with its first pupils welcomed in September 2013. A clear theme running through recent official evidence is “improvement in motion”: curriculum work has been rebuilt subject by subject, attendance strategies are tightening, and pupils describe a school that feels increasingly inclusive and supportive, even while consistency is still a live issue.

The Academy sits within Thrive Co-operative Learning Trust, joining in September 2023, which matters because trust capacity, leadership support, and shared systems shape day-to-day experience in schools on an improvement journey. Leadership is also a current feature of the story: the interim headteacher, Ray Khan, has been in post since September 2024.

For families, the headline is this: the school is aiming to raise outcomes and consistency, while keeping a strong emphasis on belonging through a house system, a structured rewards approach, and a broad enrichment menu that includes distinctive clubs such as Dungeons & Dragons, Trading Card Games, Astronomy, trampolining, and a Humanities Games Club.

The Boulevard Academy’s identity is rooted in place. Occupying the former Boulevard stadium site creates a recognisable local anchor, and the school explicitly references its ties to the Super League club. That local grounding shows up again in the way the house system has been framed, with houses named to connect pride, aspiration, and role-model narratives: Bilocca (Lillian Bilocca of Hessle Road), Whiteley (Hull FC’s Johnny Whiteley), Seacole (Mary Seacole), and Turing (Alan Turing).

The day-to-day tone, based on the most recent official account, is a school where many pupils increasingly enjoy coming in and feel part of an inclusive environment, alongside a more mixed picture at social times and in corridors. This split matters. A child who is generally comfortable in lessons but anxious about unstructured time may experience the school very differently from a child who is socially confident and enjoys the buzz of changeover.

There is also a notable emphasis on routines and incentives. The rewards system is not a small add-on, it is a structured model with daily merits, weekly recognition, half-termly subject awards, termly rewards experiences, and an annual awards evening. In practice, that kind of architecture can be helpful for pupils who respond well to clarity and visible milestones. It also signals what the school wants to encourage: punctuality, attendance, and consistent effort.

Thrive’s trust messaging leans heavily into co-operative values, safe environments, equality, wellbeing, and environmental sustainability. For parents, the practical question is how far that translates into consistent classroom and corridor practice. The most recent inspection evidence suggests the direction of travel is positive, but that implementation consistency is not yet secure across the school.

This is a secondary school without a sixth form, so the key academic benchmark is GCSE performance and progress through Key Stage 4. On outcomes, the school’s most recent published Attainment 8 score is 36.6. (Attainment 8 is a combined measure across eight GCSE slots, it gives a broad view of how pupils perform across a balanced set of subjects.)

Progress is currently the more concerning indicator. The published Progress 8 figure is -0.69, which points to pupils making below-average progress from their starting points compared with similar pupils nationally. This aligns with the broader narrative in formal evaluations that outcomes over time have not been as strong as they should be, even as recent changes are intended to improve the picture.

EBacc-related indicators help clarify the curriculum and performance context. The school’s average EBacc APS score is 3.53 (with the England average shown as 4.08), and 7.9% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above across the EBacc suite. These figures suggest that EBacc achievement is currently a weaker area, which may reflect both cohort profile and the school’s curriculum history.

For a parent-facing sense-check, the FindMySchool ranking gives additional orientation. Ranked 3,216th in England and 14th in Hull for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance sits below England average.

The most important nuance is that the school’s internal improvement work is explicitly focused on curriculum sequencing, checking understanding, and raising expectations in the classroom. Where that work lands well, it can shift progress measures materially over time.

The strongest evidence-backed description of teaching at The Boulevard Academy is of a curriculum that has been deliberately redeveloped across subjects, with key knowledge identified and common approaches introduced to improve consistency. In practical classroom terms, the school is aiming to reduce the variability pupils experience between subjects and teachers. That matters most for pupils who do not have strong independent study habits yet, because consistent teaching routines and clear checks for understanding reduce the likelihood of pupils quietly falling behind.

A concrete example from the latest inspection evidence is mathematics “check-ins” used by teachers to identify misconceptions early. This kind of low-stakes retrieval and diagnostic checking is often a marker of schools trying to tighten learning loops. The caveat, again from the same evidence base, is that checking pupils’ understanding is not consistently strong across lessons yet, and where misconceptions persist, they can compound over time.

Reading is another area where the school’s approach is specific. Pupils who need extra help at the early stages of reading are identified and provided with personalised support, including phonics for some learners. For families with a child who is hesitant or behind in reading, that targeted identification matters more than general encouragement, because it creates a route back into the full curriculum. There is also a deliberate attempt to develop reading for pleasure, including a weekly library-based reading lesson for Year 7 and Year 8.

At transition, the school’s published Year 6 materials frame Key Stage 3 as a broad curriculum including English, mathematics, science, geography, history, Spanish, religious studies, digital studies, food technology, art, drama, music, and physical education. That breadth is important for pupils who need time to discover strengths, and it supports a school culture where pupils can rebuild confidence through practical and creative subjects, not solely through written outcomes.

With an upper age of 16, the key destination question is what pathways open up at the end of Year 11. The school’s public materials emphasise progression beyond 16 into further and higher education, training, and employment, and the inspection record highlights careers-related experiences such as a careers fair and engagement with local employers, plus visits to a local university.

A practical point for parents is how well the school helps pupils choose between sixth-form routes, college-based vocational pathways, and apprenticeships. The latest inspection evidence notes that pupils have ambitious stated career goals (examples included doctor, dentist, chef), and that personal, social, and health education and life skills lessons support awareness around health and careers.

Because published leaver destination percentages are not available here, families should treat this section as a prompt for questions at open events and transition meetings: what is the school’s typical pattern of post-16 destinations, how are pupils supported with applications, and what targeted support exists for pupils who are at risk of becoming not in education, employment, or training.

The Boulevard Academy operates a city-wide admissions policy, meaning Hull families can apply regardless of where they live in the city. Oversubscription criteria matter, though, because a city-wide policy still prioritises some postcode areas over others if demand exceeds the published admission number. The school lists postcode priority groupings (with HU1 through HU9 prioritised before HU10, HU13, HU14, HU16, then any other postcode areas), and states that random allocation may be used as a tie-breaker within criteria where required.

For 2026 to 2027 entry, the admissions policy sets an agreed admission number of 180 for Year 7. Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school are prioritised, as are looked-after and previously looked-after children. Sibling priority is included, and there is also a staff-children criterion in the policy for specific circumstances.

In the most recently reported admissions data available here, the pattern indicates demand above supply, with 239 applications and 172 offers recorded, and an oversubscribed status. That level of oversubscription is not extreme by Hull standards, but it does mean families should not assume an automatic offer if they apply late or treat preferences casually.

For September 2026 entry specifically, Hull’s coordinated process states that applications should be made between 01 September 2025 and 31 October 2025. National Offer Day for secondary places falls on 02 March 2026. Late applications are still processed, but Hull warns they may not receive an offer until after 18 March 2026.

If you are weighing multiple Hull options and want to understand admissions risk, FindMySchool’s Map Search is useful for comparing likely eligibility patterns alongside each school’s published criteria, particularly where postcode groupings and tie-break approaches can change practical odds year to year.

The Boulevard Academy presents wellbeing as a multi-layered offer: class teachers, heads of year, senior pastoral support, a wellbeing team, and access to external support partners. That layered model tends to work best when roles are clearly defined and pupils understand where to go first. The school’s Year 7 transition messaging reinforces that pupils are supported through the change to secondary routines and expectations, including named transition and year-team leadership roles.

Safeguarding detail on the school website includes participation in Operation Encompass, which links schools with police notifications to support children affected by domestic abuse incidents. It also names the Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputy Safeguarding Lead, and sets out a broad online safety resource approach.

The latest Ofsted inspection confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective. The wider wellbeing picture in official evidence is consistent with an inclusive ethos, pupils feeling listened to when they raise concerns, and a deliberate focus on personal development, while also flagging that respect for difference and consistent behaviour management still require stronger, more reliable implementation.

For families, the practical question is fit. Pupils who benefit from structure, visible routines, and a school that is trying to tighten expectations may do well. Pupils who are highly sensitive to corridor behaviour or social-time unpredictability may need careful transition planning and clear communication with pastoral leads early on.

Enrichment at The Boulevard Academy is presented as a core entitlement rather than a narrow set of “optional extras”. The published list of clubs includes Trading Card Games, Arts & Crafts, a Humanities Games Club, Book Club, Choir, Trampolining, Dungeons & Dragons, Football, and Astronomy. The latest inspection evidence also references clubs such as darts and basketball.

The value of that menu is not just variety. For pupils who are not yet fully confident academically, enrichment can provide an alternative route into belonging and self-belief. A Year 7 pupil who joins Book Club or Choir may build relationships and routines that stabilise attendance and behaviour choices. A pupil who enjoys Astronomy or Dungeons & Dragons may find a peer group built around shared interests rather than status.

The house system amplifies this. With house identity sustained across a pupil’s full time at the Academy, and points tied to both academic and wider contributions, houses become a social and motivational structure rather than just a sports-day label. The school’s framing of “competition where all students are able to take part” is a useful signal for families whose child enjoys challenge but does not always thrive in winner-takes-all environments.

The rewards system adds a second layer of incentive. Daily merits that can be saved or spent, weekly “star student” recognition, half-term subject awards, and termly rewards experiences create multiple time horizons for motivation. In an improving school, that can help reinforce new expectations, particularly around attendance and corridor conduct, because pupils can see a tangible link between choices and outcomes.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should budget for the usual secondary costs such as uniform, equipment, and trips, with additional costs varying by subject and year group. The school indicates it will support families experiencing difficulty providing uniform, which is worth exploring early if cost is a concern.

The school day runs from 8:45am to 3:15pm, with pupils expected to be on site and at their classroom for 8:40am. Office hours are published as 8:00am to 4:15pm.

For travel and access, the school notes that vehicle and pedestrian access to the site is via Airlie Street. As with any secondary, families should also check how a child will get home after clubs, since enrichment runs at lunch and after school.

• Below-average progress measures. A Progress 8 score of -0.69 indicates pupils have been making below-average progress from their starting points. Families should ask what has changed since the most recent results cycle, and how progress is being checked across subjects.

• Consistency in behaviour at unstructured times. Recent official evidence points to improving expectations, but also highlights that some pupils feel less safe due to behaviour in corridors and social times, and that incidents are not always addressed consistently. This is a crucial question to explore at transition.

• Respect for difference still needs strengthening. The latest inspection evidence says work to promote respect for difference and protected characteristics is not yet secure, with some pupils not showing sufficient respect for others. Parents of children who are particularly sensitive to language and peer culture should ask how this is taught, reinforced, and addressed when it goes wrong.

• Leadership is currently interim. Interim leadership can be a strength if it brings urgency and trust support, but it can also mean ongoing change. The interim headteacher has been in post since September 2024. Families should ask how stable staffing and systems are likely to be across the next two academic years.

The Boulevard Academy is best understood as a school working through a serious improvement programme while keeping a strong focus on inclusion, belonging, and structure. It will suit families who want a local Hull secondary with clear routines, a wide enrichment offer, and a house-and-rewards framework that gives pupils multiple ways to succeed. It may be a tougher fit for pupils who need very calm corridors and highly consistent behaviour management at social times, or for families seeking proven high outcomes right now rather than a trajectory still being secured.