Dene Academy Review 2026: Inclusive 11 to 16 Secondary with a Strong Pastoral Focus

A school can be academically ambitious without losing sight of the basics, calm classrooms, consistent routines, and adults who know students well. Dene Academy’s identity is shaped by that balance. It is a non-selective, mixed secondary for ages 11 to 16, and it sits within the Advance Learning Partnership multi-academy trust, which provides additional governance and school improvement capacity.

Ofsted’s graded inspection in November 2023 judged the school Good across all areas, and safeguarding was confirmed as effective.

In admissions terms, the picture is competitive but not extreme. For the main Year 7 entry route, the recent demand data shows 202 applications for 113 offers, which equates to 1.79 applications for every offer. The first-preference pressure is close to the offer volume, which often means a significant proportion of families are securing places at their first-choice school, even though the year is oversubscribed.

This is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. Day-to-day costs are more likely to be around uniform, transport, and optional activities.

The strongest thread running through Dene Academy is inclusion, not as a slogan, but as a practical approach to how students are welcomed and supported. The most recent official evaluation describes a safe culture where pupils are treated with respect and where staff-student relationships are warm and purposeful.

A distinctive feature is the School of Sanctuary status, awarded in June 2022, which the school links to being a safe and welcoming place for those seeking sanctuary and for students needing additional security and support. This shows up in the language used across the school’s wider life, including the emphasis on respect, integrity, and happiness as explicit values.

Leadership is presented as a two-layer structure. The school lists Mr D. A. Nelson as Executive Headteacher and Miss D. Dakers as Head of School. In terms of tenure, the school’s published staff information shows Mr D Nelson holding the headteacher role by September 2019, which provides a clear, evidenced anchor point even where an exact appointment date is not published.

Culture is also shaped by an explicit focus on reading and pastoral care. Official evaluation notes a prioritised reading strategy and strong pastoral systems, which matters in a community secondary where students arrive with a wide spread of starting points.

Dene Academy’s overall GCSE outcomes profile sits below the England-wide middle band on the FindMySchool rankings. Ranked 3,224th in England and 4th in Peterlee for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), it is positioned in the lower portion of England schools by this measure.

The school’s Attainment 8 score is 40.2, which is a useful indicator of average grades across the GCSE basket. Progress 8 sits at +0.33, which indicates students make above-average progress from their starting points across eight subjects. These two measures together often describe a school where attainment is still improving, but teaching and support are enabling students to outperform prior attainment expectations.

One important contextual point is highlighted in the most recent inspection narrative, outcomes for Year 11 in 2023 did not fully reflect the quality of education students now receive, with disruption and mid-course admissions cited as contributing factors.

For parents comparing options locally, the practical move is to use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view GCSE measures side-by-side, then sense-check the narrative fit, especially around behaviour, inclusion, and support.

The academic offer is framed as a knowledge-rich curriculum that is intended to be ambitious for all students. Where this becomes meaningful is in how subject sequencing is described, subject leaders identify key knowledge and map content so that students build understanding over time.

The most recent external evaluation describes this as working well in many subjects, with strong teacher subject knowledge and clear explanations. English and mathematics are singled out as areas where modelling of strong responses supports learning, which typically translates into better writing, clearer problem solving, and fewer students being left behind by gaps in foundational content.

The improvement priorities are also clear and specific. Curriculum definition is not equally strong in every subject, with geography cited as an example where essential knowledge mapping needs to be sharpened. Assessment practice is also described as inconsistent between subjects, meaning some students may not be checked deeply enough for secure retention. For families, the implication is straightforward: teaching quality is not the main concern, but consistency across departments is the key variable to probe at open events and during subject conversations.

Because Dene Academy is an 11 to 16 school with no sixth form, destination planning is centred on transition at 16. The school presents a structured careers and destination offer, including links to a range of further education and sixth-form providers. Named options include Durham Sixth Form Centre, East Durham College, Hartlepool College of Further Education, Hartlepool Sixth Form, Middlesbrough College, New College Durham, and Sunderland College.

The value of naming providers is that it indicates a broad post-16 horizon, not a single default route. Official evaluation also points to a well-considered careers programme with impartial guidance and regular engagement from training and education providers, which helps students make informed decisions.

Where families should focus is fit. Students who thrive in a more vocational or technical pathway need early exposure to employer and college options, while those aiming for A-level routes benefit from strong subject advice and clear GCSE option choices. The school’s stated approach suggests both pathways are actively supported.

Year 7 admissions are coordinated through the Local Authority, and the school states it provides up to 164 places in Year 7 each year. The school also describes its admissions approach as open access and inclusive, which is consistent with a mainstream community secondary model.

Demand data indicates the Year 7 entry route is oversubscribed, with 202 applications for 113 offers in the most recent dataset. The subscription proportion is 1.79, meaning there were roughly 79% more applications than offers. First preference pressure is close to the number of offers, which can indicate a local school that is often a first choice, but without the extreme pressure seen in highly selective or very small schools.

For September 2026 entry, the national secondary admissions timetable typically opens in early September 2025 and closes on 31 October 2025. Offer day for that cycle is shown as 02 March 2026 in multiple Local Authority timetables, reflecting the shift when 01 March falls on a weekend.

Open events matter here because they provide the clearest view of routines, support, and expectations. Dene Academy states it holds an Information Evening in July and an annual Open Evening in September for Year 5 and Year 6 families, and it also offers daytime visits by arrangement so parents can see lessons in progress. Families narrowing options should use the FindMySchool Saved Schools shortlist feature to track visit notes, then align those notes against what matters most, pace, pastoral support, or enrichment.

Pastoral care is a headline strength in the most recent official evaluation, which describes a culture where staff know pupils well and where relationships help create a positive climate.

In practical terms, that kind of pastoral model tends to show up in predictable ways: clear routines, adult visibility, and well-used tutoring structures. The school’s own documentation references tutor time as a distinct part of the day, and its wider personal development offer includes leadership roles such as head students, ambassadors, and prefects.

The safeguarding statement in the latest inspection documentation confirms effective arrangements, which is the baseline requirement parents should expect. Beyond safeguarding, the more useful question for families is how the school responds when issues arise. The most recent inspection narrative indicates bullying can occur, and a small number of pupils felt responses were not always as fast as they could be. That is worth exploring directly at open events, including how concerns are logged, how follow-up is communicated, and how the school ensures repeat behaviour is addressed.

Extracurricular life matters most when it is specific and accessible, not just available to a small group. The official evaluation points to a wide set of opportunities and names clubs such as karate, chess, and music, alongside structured programmes like the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and the Diana Award. These are strong signals of a school that uses enrichment to build confidence and leadership, not only to decorate a timetable.

The school’s own communications add further practical detail. It highlights a broad enrichment menu that includes activities such as dodgeball, archery, book club, cooking, gardening, and performing arts. The implication for families is that there are entry points for students with very different interests, sport, creativity, and quieter structured clubs.

Reading is a notable pillar. The Reading Buddies programme, where Year 9 students volunteer to listen to younger students read, is a simple but effective model for improving literacy while developing responsibility and mentoring skills. If a child needs confidence-building, programmes like this can be as important as formal interventions, because they normalise progress and create a positive peer culture around reading.

Facilities also matter because they underpin how consistently clubs can run. The school lists bookable facilities including a sports hall, dance studio, fitness suite, grass football pitches (9v9 and 11v11), outdoor courts, and classrooms. For families, this supports a realistic expectation that sport and activity can continue year-round, not only when weather and space allow.

The published 2025 to 26 school-day timings show tutor time running from 08:30 to 09:00, with lessons structured through to the end of the day. Finish time varies slightly by key stage, with Key Stage 3 finishing at 14:55 and Key Stage 4 finishing at 15:00.

Transport is an active part of planning for an 11 to 16 school serving multiple local communities. The school provides guidance on bus pass eligibility routes and references separate arrangements depending on distance and free school meal status, including applications for council-supported transport and some purchased pass routes.

Catering is prepared on site, and the school describes training for allergen management and a rotating lunch menu cycle. As a state school, there are no tuition fees, but families should plan for uniform and typical optional costs such as trips and clubs.

• Below-mid England ranking for GCSE outcomes. The FindMySchool ranking places Dene Academy in the lower portion of England schools for GCSE outcomes. Parents should view this alongside the positive Progress 8 score, which suggests improving learning impact even where attainment remains a work in progress.

• Subject consistency is the key improvement lever. Curriculum mapping and assessment practice are described as strong in many subjects, but less consistent in others. Families should ask how improvements are being embedded across departments, not only in headline subjects.

• Bullying response expectations. A minority of pupils reported slower responses than they would like when bullying occurs. Parents should ask about reporting routes and response timelines, and how outcomes are communicated back to families.

• Oversubscription requires early planning. Demand data indicates oversubscription for Year 7 entry. Families considering this option should treat open events and admissions deadlines as non-negotiable calendar items.

Dene Academy suits families who want a mainstream, inclusive 11 to 16 secondary where pastoral care and personal development are clearly prioritised alongside academic ambition. The school’s Good inspection profile, strong reading emphasis, and structured enrichment offer are persuasive strengths. It will particularly suit students who benefit from clear expectations and reliable adult support, and who will take advantage of leadership pathways and clubs. The main challenge is ensuring the curriculum consistency and attainment trajectory continue to improve, and that families feel confident about how concerns are handled when they arise.