Excelsior Academy Review 2026: An all-through option with a clear improvement story

Excelsior Academy is unusual in Newcastle because it offers education from nursery age through to sixth form, with pupils moving through Primary, Secondary, and post 16 on one site. That continuity is a genuine practical advantage for some families, particularly where children benefit from stable relationships and a familiar setting across key transitions.

The school’s most recent formal inspection outcome is clear and, importantly, granular. The May 2024 Ofsted inspection judged Excelsior Academy as Requires Improvement overall, with Good judgements for behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, early years, and sixth form provision.

There is also a significant admissions change to understand early. The school states that from September 2026 there will be no admissions into Reception through Year 4 cohorts, as part of a phased change of age range. This matters for families hoping to join the primary phase from the start, and it shifts the main entry focus towards secondary and in year routes.

The most consistent picture is of a school that prioritises relationships and calm routines, with a strong emphasis on inclusion across a diverse intake. In the 2024 inspection report, pupils are described as polite and friendly, building positive relationships with staff and supporting each other’s wellbeing through roles such as well being ambassadors, with sixth form students reading with younger pupils. This kind of cross phase culture is one of the distinctive benefits of an all through structure when it is done well.

Leadership is presented as visible and values led. The Executive Principal is Mrs P Hegarty, who sets out an ethos centred on aspiration and community, alongside a focus on dedicated teaching and support staff building positive relationships with families and the local area.

Excelsior is also explicit about identity markers that reflect its context. The school highlights an exceptionally multilingual community, and its public-facing work includes School of Sanctuary recognition, positioning the school as intentionally welcoming for families seeking safety and stability.

Because Excelsior is all through, the most useful way to read performance is phase by phase. This helps families set realistic expectations at each stage, and it avoids masking strengths in one phase with weaker outcomes in another.

Primary outcomes (Key Stage 2)

In 2024, 55% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, below the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 10% achieved the higher threshold, above the England average of 8%. In science, 79% met the expected standard, compared with an England average of 82%. Reading scaled score is 104, mathematics is 99, and grammar, punctuation and spelling is 100.

On the FindMySchool rankings (based on official data), the primary phase is ranked 13,877th in England and 120th in Newcastle. This places primary performance below England average.

GCSE outcomes (Key Stage 4)

At GCSE level, the academy’s Attainment 8 score is 30.2 and Progress 8 is -0.62, which indicates students make below average progress from their starting points across eight subjects. The average EBacc APS is 2.67 compared with an England figure of 4.08, and 4.1% achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc measure shown.

On the FindMySchool rankings (based on official data), Excelsior’s GCSE outcomes are ranked 3,728th in England and 26th in Newcastle, placing it below England average overall.

A level outcomes (sixth form)

A level outcomes sit in the lower range relative to England figures. In the most recent results snapshot, 0% of grades were A*, 7.69% were A, 10.77% were B, and 18.46% were A* to B combined. The England averages shown are 23.6% for A* to A and 47.2% for A* to B.

On the FindMySchool rankings (based on official data), A level outcomes are ranked 2,440th in England and 21st in Newcastle, again placing the sixth form below England average overall.

The curriculum ambition is there, but delivery consistency is the main differentiator between stronger and weaker experiences, especially in the secondary phase. There are signs of structured improvement work that parents should notice when speaking to staff and students.

Reading is a clear whole school priority. The inspection report describes phonics being taught well in Reception and Key Stage 1, targeted support for pupils who need help catching up, and attention to the language needs of pupils arriving from abroad. In a school with a high mobility intake, that focus on language and reading is a foundational strategy rather than an optional extra.

Secondary teaching is described as uneven, with some pupils not given enough time to secure essential knowledge, and others not being pushed to deepen and extend learning. For families considering the secondary phase, it is worth asking directly how subject teams ensure lesson routines and checks for understanding are consistent across classes, particularly in Key Stage 3 where curriculum foundations are built for GCSE success.

At sixth form, the school sets out an approach that mixes A levels and Level 3 pathways, with work based learning, visits, and guest speakers described as integral to curriculum enrichment. That tends to suit students who want a structured route into employment, training, apprenticeships, or higher education, and who benefit from explicit careers guidance rather than an entirely academic sixth form culture.

Excelsior’s sixth form and wider careers work is positioned as practical and guidance heavy, which aligns with its intake and improvement priorities.

Formal destination data shows that among 93 leavers in the 2023/24 cohort, 26% progressed to university, 1% to further education, 2% to apprenticeships, and 23% to employment. These figures do not capture every destination category, but they do indicate a mixed set of pathways rather than a single dominant route.

For younger pupils, the all through structure changes transition dynamics. A key practical point is that children in Year 6 at Excelsior automatically move into Year 7, reducing the need for a separate secondary application for those already on roll. That continuity can reduce transition anxiety for some pupils, but it also means families should consider the secondary offer early, rather than assuming a later “fresh start” elsewhere.

Admissions is the section where families must be particularly precise, because the school’s age range is changing and because Newcastle’s coordinated processes have fixed deadlines.

Primary entry change from September 2026

The school states that there will be no admissions to Reception to Year 4 cohorts from September 2026 as part of a phased change of age range. Families looking for a Reception start should treat this as a decisive constraint and plan alternatives accordingly.

Secondary (Year 7) entry for September 2026

For Newcastle secondary transfer applications starting Year 7 in September 2026, the local authority states applications open on 1 September 2025, close on 31 October 2025, and National Offer Day is 2 March 2026.

The school also notes that pupils in its Year 6 automatically move into Year 7, while pupils from other schools can apply for entry to secondary.

In year admissions (Reception to Year 11 across the city)

Newcastle explains that in year admissions are coordinated by the council for most schools across the city, while nursery and sixth form places are applied for directly. This matters for families moving into the area mid year, or those seeking a change outside the normal admissions round.

Demand and competition signals

The most recent demand snapshot indicates the school is oversubscribed on both the primary and secondary entry routes shown, with 20 applications for 10 offers on the primary route and 323 applications for 236 offers on the secondary route. This suggests competition exists, but it is not at the extreme levels seen in the most oversubscribed Newcastle secondaries.

Parents comparing nearby options should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check practical travel time from home, then use the Local Hub comparison tools to view performance and admissions context side by side before committing to a single preference strategy.

Pastoral care looks like a relative strength in the published evidence, particularly around routines, behaviour, and structured wellbeing roles.

The inspection report describes a calm and orderly environment, with low level disruption not tolerated and addressed effectively, plus a comprehensive personal development programme that includes relationships, equality and diversity, and safety, including online safety. Safeguarding arrangements are stated to be effective.

Attendance is a central improvement lever. In the June 2025 monitoring letter, Ofsted noted that leaders had made progress but that further improvement is still needed, including ongoing work to reduce persistent absence; the letter describes a significant reduction in persistent absence, particularly among older pupils, and highlights the resource commitment behind the attendance strategy.

For families, the practical implication is that pastoral systems are likely to be visible, staffed, and structured. The key question is whether those systems translate into stable attendance and consistent learning habits for the individual child, particularly at secondary level.

Excelsior’s extracurricular picture is stronger when described concretely, and the website provides helpful specificity.

Secondary lunchtime clubs include Library Club, Games Club, Drama Club, Women in Business, Quiet Club, Film Club, Learn German, Badminton Club, Art Club, Creative Writing, Media Club, Fitness Club, Lego Club, Student Voice, Basketball, Culture Crafts, Choir, Drums Club, Chess Club, and Singing Club. The variety here is meaningful because it includes both performance and participation routes, plus quieter options for students who may not want sport led enrichment.

Primary clubs and wraparound activity include Cooking Club, Computer Club, football training, Creative Club, Games and Singing, NUFC football, plus a Thrive Club and a daily Care Club after school. Primary after school clubs are stated to run from 3.15pm to 4.00pm, and primary breakfast is offered from 7.30am.

Sport pathway and identity programmes include the Excelsior Football Academy, described as a curriculum based football experience for students aged 11 to 19.

STEM and community recognition show up in public facing highlights too, including LEGO League activity and School of Sanctuary recognition, both of which help communicate the school’s priorities around participation, belonging, and practical skills.

This is a state funded school with no tuition fees.

Families should still budget for common extras such as uniform, trips, equipment, and optional enrichment, which vary by year group and by subject choices.

The secondary school day is published as ending at 3.05pm, with an 8.30am line up on the yard. The school also publishes breakfast provision, with primary breakfast from 7.30am and secondary breakfast from 8.00am, described as available at no cost.

For primary wraparound, the website describes daily Care Club after school (3.15pm to 4.00pm) and changing after school club options. It does not publish a simple start and finish time for the primary day on the primary timings page, so families should confirm the current routine directly when planning childcare and travel.

Travel wise, this is a west Newcastle site on Denton Road, and most families will be planning around local walking routes, bus services, and drop off arrangements. Because these practical arrangements can change, it is sensible to ask the school for the latest guidance once you have shortlisted it.

• Primary admissions are changing. The school states there will be no admissions into Reception to Year 4 from September 2026 as part of a phased change of age range. If you need a Reception start, you will need an alternative plan.

• Results are currently below England average across phases. Primary, GCSE, and A level performance sits in the lower range compared with England benchmarks, and the improvement challenge is to translate curriculum work into consistently stronger outcomes, particularly in the secondary phase.

• Attendance remains a key risk factor for learning gaps. Published monitoring notes progress in reducing persistent absence, but also signals that further work is required; families should ask how attendance expectations are implemented day to day.

• Sixth form outcomes and destinations are mixed. Post 16 routes include employment and university, but the published destination snapshot suggests the sixth form is not yet a high attaining academic pipeline; it may suit students seeking structure, support, and clear progression planning rather than a purely exam driven culture.

Excelsior Academy is best understood as an all through school with a clearly defined improvement journey, strong pastoral and inclusion signals, and practical advantages for families who value continuity from primary into secondary and beyond. It suits pupils and students who respond well to structured routines, visible pastoral systems, and a school culture that emphasises belonging, language, and wellbeing alongside learning. The main caveat is that academic outcomes remain below England average, so families should look closely at subject level experience, teaching consistency, and attendance culture, then judge whether the direction of travel matches their child’s needs.