Freebrough Academy Review 2026: An inclusive 11–16 academy with strong progress measures

This is a medium-to-large secondary serving East Cleveland communities around Brotton and Saltburn-by-the-Sea, with a clear emphasis on outcomes and inclusion. The academy is part of Northern Education Trust, and its published vision is unapologetically non-selective and community minded, with high expectations of behaviour and an explicit commitment to supporting the most vulnerable students to succeed.

Leadership is stable and visible through the academy’s communications, with Mr Michael Garthwaite named as Principal. Externally, the school’s most recent full inspection sits comfortably in the top tier, which matters because it provides a verified, independent view of curriculum quality, personal development, and leadership.

As a state school, there are no tuition fees. What families do need to plan for is the usual range of secondary costs, including uniform, trips, and optional extras.

The strongest clue to the academy’s character is the way it frames its purpose. Northern Education Trust’s vision, published on the academy site, places “what is best for children” at the centre, and the accompanying values are practical rather than decorative. They include a commitment to remain non-selective, to keep mechanisms in place for vulnerable children to overcome barriers to learning, and to maintain high expectations of behaviour.

That combination tends to suit families who want a straightforward mainstream secondary with a clear moral centre and an explicit “local schools are for all children” stance. It also suggests the academy is likely to be comfortable with a comprehensive intake, rather than relying on selection by ability to drive results. The published approach signals that inclusion is not treated as a separate strand, it is embedded in how the school describes its everyday work.

There is also a distinctly structured feel to the way the academy talks about school life. Communication to parents is organised into clear sections (transition, safeguarding, curriculum, enrichment, policies), and safeguarding roles are set out transparently, with named senior staff and deputy leads. For parents, that clarity is often a proxy indicator for strong routines, predictable systems, and quick escalation routes when something feels off.

Ranked 1,499th in England and 1st in Saltburn-by-the-Sea for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), this reflects solid performance in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

The underlying outcomes point to a school where progress is a clear strength. The Progress 8 score is 0.29, which indicates students, on average, achieve above expectations based on prior attainment. Attainment 8 is 47.3.

On the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) measures, Average EBacc APS is 4.39, and 22.7% of pupils achieve grades 5 or above across the EBacc subjects. Against the wider context, an EBacc APS of 4.39 sits above the England figure of 4.08.

What this means in practical terms is that the academy appears to be adding value, particularly for students who benefit from clear teaching sequences and consistent routines. For parents comparing local options, the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool can help you benchmark these measures side-by-side with nearby schools, rather than relying on impressions.

The academy’s curriculum is described as broad and ambitious, with a specific structural model that parents should understand early because it shapes the student experience. The school operates a 3:2 curriculum model, with three years assigned to Years 7 to 9, followed by a more flexible two-year GCSE programme across Years 10 and 11.

That structure matters because it signals a deliberate approach to Key Stage 3, one that aims to build subject knowledge and readiness before GCSE options are selected. The academy also states that it supports students’ entitlement to study the English Baccalaureate, which is relevant for families who value a traditional academic core and want to keep post-16 pathways open even though the school itself is 11–16.

Personal development is addressed through what the school calls its LIFE curriculum, spanning Religious Education, Personal, Health, Social and Economic education, relationships and sex education, careers education and guidance, plus wider spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. The implication for families is that the school is signalling planned, timetabled coverage of the topics that often cause concern at secondary age, such as online safety, relationships, decision-making, and next-step planning.

Where Students Go Next

As an 11–16 school, the main transition point is post-16 rather than university. The most useful question is therefore not “where do leavers go”, but “how well are students prepared to make a strong choice at 16”.

Careers and next-step preparation are built into the LIFE curriculum, and the academy explicitly references careers education and guidance as part of that planned programme. The school’s communications also show examples of college-facing activity, such as a targeted preview day linked to Prior Pursglove College, intended to help students prepare for a September start at college.

For parents, the practical takeaway is that a good 11–16 school should make Year 9 options, Year 10 work experience planning (where applicable), and Year 11 application timelines feel manageable rather than chaotic. If your child is likely to want a vocational route, an apprenticeship, or a mixed programme, it is worth asking how those routes are introduced and supported, as well as the more familiar sixth form pathway.

Year 7 admissions are coordinated through the local authority, and the academy publishes a clear timeline for the 2026–27 academic year intake. Applications open 5 September 2025, with a closing date of 31 October 2025, and National Offer Day on 1 March 2026.

The local authority’s published timetable also indicates that open evenings for secondary schools in the area typically fall in September and October, which is helpful for families planning visits, even though specific dates vary each year.

Because published catchment distance information is not included in the data available here, families considering the school should focus on the academy’s admissions arrangements and the local authority’s criteria for allocation. If proximity is important to your plans, using FindMySchool’s Map Search to estimate home-to-school distance can help you sanity-check options early, before you commit emotionally to a single first preference.

Safeguarding leadership is set out with named roles, which gives parents a clear sense of who holds responsibility and who deputises. The academy lists its Designated Safeguarding Lead as Kelly White (Vice Principal), supported by multiple deputy safeguarding leads, including the safeguarding and wellbeing officer, SENDCo, inclusion manager, and learning managers.

That breadth matters because safeguarding in a secondary setting is rarely a single-person job. A strong model spreads responsibility across senior staff and pastoral leads, so that concerns can be raised, triaged, and acted on promptly, even if one individual is unavailable. The school’s published approach also frames safeguarding as a core part of academy life and curriculum content, which aligns with current national expectations for preventative education rather than reactive handling only.

For families, the most important practical question is consistency. Ask how learning managers, the safeguarding team, and teaching staff communicate about attendance, behaviour, friendship issues, and emerging vulnerabilities, and what the threshold is for parent contact.

The academy presents enrichment as something students should treat as normal rather than exceptional. It states that enrichment and after-school clubs are available free for students, supported by a published booklet of options.

Two examples on the school’s own channels show the range and the intent behind enrichment. First, a Year 9 computer science enrichment club built and programmed LEGO robots and took part in the First LEGO League competition hosted by Nissan, with the Freebrough team winning a trophy for robot design. This is a strong example of applied STEM learning, where students move from classroom theory to teamwork, iteration, and presentation under competitive conditions.

Second, the academy highlights participation in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, with students attending an awards ceremony to collect Silver and Gold awards. For many teenagers, DofE is a confidence-building pathway that rewards persistence and organisation, especially when combined with the structure of school routines.

There is also evidence of reading culture being actively curated rather than left to chance. Year 7 students took part in a “Reading for Pleasure” workshop delivered by Seven Stories, with books subsequently purchased for the school library. That sort of external partnership can be particularly useful for students who arrive at secondary school without strong reading habits, because it frames reading as social and enjoyable, not just assessed.

On practical costs, the school notes that students eligible for free school meals have a lunchtime allowance of £2.90. (Families should still expect the usual costs around uniform and optional activities, as these vary by year group and choices made.)

The academy publishes an “Academy Day” structure and a 2025–2026 bus timetable on its website, which is the right starting point for planning journeys and pick-up routines. Specific start and finish times are presented within those published documents, so families should check the latest versions, particularly if transport arrangements are changing year-to-year.

As a secondary-only school, wraparound care is not typically a defining feature in the way it can be for primaries. The more relevant practical questions are transport reliability, after-school collection logistics when clubs run, and how communication works when schedules change.

• No sixth form. Students move on after Year 11, so families should think early about post-16 options and what “good fit” looks like for college or training pathways.

• Behaviour profile is not uniformly top-graded. The most recent full inspection includes Good for Behaviour and Attitudes alongside Outstanding judgements in other areas, which can signal strong systems with some areas still needing careful attention.

• EBacc outcomes may not match every family’s priorities. The EBacc measures show a mixed picture, so parents who want a heavily academic core for all students should ask how EBacc choices are advised and supported, and whatC ask how alternatives are framed for students with different strengths.

• Enrichment detail is booklet-based. The school promotes a broad enrichment offer, but the specific club list is presented in a separate booklet; parents may want to confirm which clubs are running in the current term and how places are allocated.

Freebrough Academy offers a clear, inclusive mainstream secondary experience, underpinned by a structured curriculum model and strong progress measures. Leadership communication is coherent, safeguarding roles are transparent, and enrichment includes credible, skills-building programmes such as First LEGO League robotics and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award participation.

Who it suits: families seeking a non-selective 11–16 academy with strong routines, a planned personal development programme, and evidence of above-expected progress. The key trade-off is that post-16 provision is off-site, so the quality of guidance and transition support matters as much as the GCSE experience.