Easington Academy Review 2026: Strong personal development, clear routines, improving outcomes

A calm, purposeful culture is a clear thread here, supported by consistent routines and a rewards system that students understand. The most recent inspection (published 20 June 2025) graded Quality of education, Behaviour and attitudes, and Leadership and management as Good, with Personal development graded Outstanding.

This is a state secondary serving ages 11 to 16, so there are no tuition fees. Academic outcomes sit in the solid middle of the England picture overall, with a meaningful local edge. In the FindMySchool GCSE rankings based on official data, the academy is ranked 1,185th in England and 1st in the Peterlee area. That places results broadly in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), while still leading the immediate local field.

The school’s “World Ready” framing is not just branding. It shows up in structured personal development, student leadership groups, and enrichment that connects to local identity and aspiration.

The tone is confident and organised. Classrooms are described as calm and purposeful, supported by a clear behaviour and rewards system that staff apply consistently.

A distinctive touch is the IMPACT badge system, used to recognise positive values and habits. Rather than relying on vague messages about “good attitude”, the language is operational and specific. It helps students understand what routines and conduct look like in practice, which tends to reduce low-level disruption and improve lesson flow.

Leadership is anchored by Nicola Falconer, Head of School. She was appointed to the role in September 2020, and the current leadership structure also includes an Executive Principal, Alex Hook. The school sits within the North East Learning Trust, and the trust’s involvement is visible in governance and school improvement capacity, particularly around teaching and learning development.

The school’s published ethos emphasises high expectations alongside care, plus a commitment to a calm, purposeful environment where young people can learn with confidence. For families, the implication is straightforward. Students who respond well to predictable routines and explicit expectations are likely to find this an easier place to settle and to focus.

The numbers point to steady performance with some clear positives, particularly around the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) profile and overall attainment.

FindMySchool ranking context (GCSE)

Ranked 1,185th in England and 1st in Peterlee for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This reflects solid performance, broadly in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), and strong relative results locally.

Headline KS4 outcomes (most recently published on the school site)

• Grade 5 or above in both GCSE English and maths: 55.3% (County Durham: 40.6, England: 45.9).

• Attainment 8: 49.6 (County Durham: 44.2, England: 45.9).

• EBacc average point score: 4.45 (County Durham: 3.79, England: 4.07).

• Progress 8: -0.12 (County Durham: -0.14, England: -0.03).

• EBacc entry: 60.3% (County Durham: 33.4, England: 40.4).

The EBacc entry rate is a meaningful signal. It suggests the school is putting substantial numbers through a curriculum including English, maths, sciences, a humanity, and a language. For families, that usually means a more academic Key Stage 4 model, with less early narrowing. The trade-off is that this can feel demanding for students who would prefer a more vocationally weighted pathway earlier on.

Progress 8 sits slightly below the England comparator shown in the same table. That does not negate the positive attainment picture, but it does underline why the school’s improvement focus on lesson structure and independence matters.

The curriculum is described as ambitious and carefully sequenced, with deliberate thought given to what students should know and remember. There is also a clear attempt to make learning feel relevant to place, for example through subject links to the local community in areas such as history and art.

Subject expertise is presented as a strength. Teaching is characterised by regular revisiting of prior learning, which tends to support long-term retention, especially where students have gaps from earlier key stages.

One improvement point is worth taking seriously because it is specific and practical. At times, staff can spend too long scaffolding work before moving students to independent tasks. The implication for families is not that standards are low, but that the best learning happens when students are pushed, at the right moment, to apply knowledge without prompts. In strong departments, this is often where confidence and exam performance are built.

Reading is treated as a priority, with targeted support for weaker readers and structured activities designed to build engagement. For parents of students arriving in Year 7 with lower reading ages, this is a concrete positive, because reading fluency affects performance across the curriculum.

As an 11 to 16 school, all students transition at the end of Year 11. Planning for post-16 therefore matters earlier than it does in schools with a sixth form, particularly for students who benefit from continuity.

The school publishes destination data for Key Stage 4 leavers. For 2022, 92% were recorded as staying in education or moving into employment, with 9% entering apprenticeships. While this is a broad measure, it suggests that most students are moving into sustained next steps, rather than becoming NEET.

Careers education is also a visible strand in the wider programme. The inspection report notes the provider access duty and the expectation that students receive information about technical education routes and apprenticeships, which is particularly relevant in an 11 to 16 setting.

For families, the best approach is to treat Year 9 as a decision point. GCSE options begin to shape post-16 routes, and students who want competitive college courses or particular apprenticeships benefit from aligning options and enrichment early.

Year 7 applications are coordinated through Durham’s local authority process, administered on behalf of the trust, rather than as a direct-to-school application.

For September 2026 entry, the county timetable shows:

• Applications open: 01 September 2025

• Closing date: 31 October 2025

• Offers released (National Offer Day): 02 March 2026

• Waiting lists begin to operate: 24 March 2026

These dates illustrate the typical pattern: early autumn application window, then offers in early March. Families applying for later years should expect broadly similar timing, but should always confirm the current year’s timetable.

Open events can help families assess fit, particularly around behaviour culture and teaching expectations. An example published open evening ran in September, reinforcing that early autumn is when many families visit and decide.

When shortlisting, parents can use the FindMySchoolMap Search to check travel practicality, then use the Local Hub comparison tools to benchmark outcomes against nearby alternatives.

Care and support are positioned as part of the school’s identity, and the inspection evidence supports a culture where students feel welcomed and respected.

Targeted support for attendance is also described as structured and persistent, with clear systems for challenge and family engagement. The implication is practical. For students whose attendance dips in Year 8 or Year 9, early intervention reduces the academic knock-on effects that often show up later in Year 10 and Year 11.

The academy also highlights specific support for young carers, including a dedicated lead, regular check-ins, safe spaces, and help balancing caring responsibilities with homework and attendance. It also reports Gold Charter Accreditation through The Bridge Young Carers and Adult Services.

Safeguarding is a clear baseline expectation for any school. The 2025 inspection confirmed safeguarding arrangements were effective.

Personal development is a defining strength, and the school’s programme has depth rather than relying on generic enrichment claims. The inspection report describes a structured offer that weaves character and enrichment through wider school life, including trips and events designed to broaden experience.

Student leadership is organised through named groups, including “my world”, “my community”, “my future” and “my identity”. These are not symbolic titles. The report links them to real community engagement, such as supporting local care homes, collaborating with a local brass band, and working with local primary schools. The implication for students is increased confidence and a stronger sense of belonging, which often supports attendance and behaviour as well as skills development.

For students who want a recognised challenge outside the classroom, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a substantial feature. The school reports 55 Year 9 students undertaking Bronze and Silver, plus 15 Year 11 students on Silver, with an emphasis on expedition, volunteering, and skills development.

The academy also maintains a clubs and activities programme, including a Sports Hub and broader clubs timetable. Even where a student is not sport-focused, a structured after-school offer can be an important lever for engagement, especially in the transition from Year 6 to Year 7.

The school publishes clear timings for the day. The academy opens at 8:20am, and the published schedule shows a 3:10pm finish, with a “World Ready” slot on Monday mornings.

As a secondary school, it is not positioned as a wraparound childcare provider. The website does not set out a breakfast club or after-school childcare offer in the way many primaries do, so families needing extended supervision should ask the school directly about what is available beyond the formal day.

For travel, the school describes Easington Village as having easy access from the A19. For families commuting by car, that matters more than a minor difference in school-day timings. For public transport, routes change, so parents should check current bus options and build in contingency for winter weather and traffic.

• No sixth form. All students move on at 16. That suits those ready for a fresh start in college or training, but it makes early careers guidance and GCSE option choices more important for students who benefit from continuity.

• Academic pathway expectations. EBacc entry is high, which is a positive for breadth and aspiration, but it can feel demanding for students who would prefer earlier specialisation into vocational options.

• Independence in learning is a development focus. Lesson scaffolding can, at times, run longer than ideal. Families who want high levels of independent practice may wish to ask how the school is building student independence across subjects.

• Admissions timing is early. For September 2026 entry, the closing date was 31 October 2025, with offers on 2 March 2026. Families applying in future years should expect a similar early autumn deadline and plan visits accordingly.

Easington Academy offers a well-structured, supportive secondary experience, with personal development as a genuine pillar rather than an add-on. Academic outcomes are solid in the England context, and the local ranking suggests it performs strongly relative to nearby options. Best suited to families who value calm routines, clear expectations, and an enrichment programme that builds confidence and employability, and who are comfortable planning an external post-16 route from the outset.