Ingleby Manor Free School & Sixth Form Review 2026: An extended-day secondary with strong culture and improving outcomes

Longer school days are the defining practical feature here, with a Monday to Thursday finish at 3.30pm and an early 1.30pm finish on Fridays. That structure is designed to create additional curriculum time plus space for homework club and enrichment, rather than relying on pupils to complete everything at home.

The most recent full inspection (30 November and 1 December 2022) rated the school Good overall, with Behaviour and attitudes, Personal development, and Leadership and management judged Outstanding. Ingleby Manor is part of Delta Academies Trust and the school’s own public messaging places equal weight on academic success and experiences beyond lessons, including vertical mentoring groups and structured character development.

For performance, the FindMySchool ranking positions the school above the England average, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of secondary schools in England for GCSE outcomes. This review explains what that looks like in practice, and who is most likely to find the approach a good fit.

The school sets out a clear identity around high expectations and a calm, orderly culture. In the most recent inspection evidence, pupils are described as polite and considerate, with respectful relationships between pupils and staff and strong day-to-day conduct across the site. That matters because culture is one of the hardest things for a school to stabilise, and it is also one of the biggest contributors to sustained progress for a broad intake.

A distinctive strand is character education, explicitly built into Key Stage 3 through the “earn your marks” programme, with a Year 9 graduation-style milestone before progression into Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at Key Stage 4. The implication for families is that personal development is not treated as an optional extra; it is organised as a planned sequence, with visible events and participation points that help students stay engaged.

Leadership is front-and-centre in the school’s communications. The current principal is Ray Parkinson. While a publicly stated appointment date is not clearly published in the sources reviewed, the consistent use of a principal-led narrative across official school materials suggests stable leadership and a deliberate approach to whole-school routines.

One important clarity point for families: despite the name including “& Sixth Form”, the most recent Ofsted report lists the school’s age range as 11 to 16. The school has also published consultation information about removing the sixth form designation. In practice, families should treat this as an 11 to 16 secondary for planning purposes unless the school confirms a current post-16 offer.

The school’s outcomes, on the FindMySchool dataset, are strong for a non-selective state secondary.

Ranked 1,130th in England and 4th in Stockton-on-Tees for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data)

This position sits above the England average, comfortably within the top 25% of secondary schools in England.

At GCSE level, the Attainment 8 score is 52, above the England average of 45.9. Progress also looks positive: Progress 8 is +0.24, which indicates students make above-average progress from their starting points.

The EBacc picture is mixed but improving. The average EBacc point score is 4.64, above the England average of 4.08, while 25.6% achieve grade 5 or above in the EBacc measure recorded.

What does this mean for families? The most useful implication is that the school is not simply coasting on calm behaviour. The numbers suggest a combination of stable culture and teaching that is translating into measurable progress across a cohort.

A sensible way to use these figures is comparative, rather than absolute. Parents weighing local alternatives can use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to view GCSE measures side-by-side across Stockton-on-Tees schools, rather than relying on one headline statistic.

The curriculum emphasis appears deliberately traditional in its subject coverage, but with additional structures to help students learn effectively and consistently. The inspection evidence indicates that teachers generally present information clearly and build new learning on what pupils already know, with subject leaders supported through the trust.

A useful detail for families is that the school frames the curriculum as more than a list of subjects, linking learning to preparation for next steps and employment. Careers education is described as strong, with opportunities to engage with further education providers and employers. The practical implication is that students who need a clear line of sight from school to post-16 or post-18 routes should find structured guidance rather than ad hoc advice late in Year 11.

Support for students with additional needs is described as systematic. Teachers are provided with detailed information about students with special educational needs and disabilities, and it is used in classrooms. There is also targeted support for pupils in the early stages of learning to read, helping them catch up quickly, which is increasingly important in secondary settings where gaps often widen if not addressed early.

The main improvement point raised in the most recent inspection is worth taking seriously: there is variation in how effectively the planned curriculum is delivered in some subjects, and leaders were expected to continue embedding training to improve consistency. For families, the implication is that outcomes may differ by subject area, so it is sensible to ask targeted questions at open events about the specific subjects your child is likely to prioritise at Key Stage 4.

Where Students Go Next

Because the available dataset does not provide verified destination percentages or post-16 progression figures for this school, the safest approach is to focus on what is evidenced about readiness for next steps rather than publishing any numerical claims.

Careers education is described as high quality, with regular engagement with providers and employers. That usually translates into practical experiences such as talks, workplace-facing projects, and structured guidance on technical routes as well as sixth form and college pathways. The school also references further education open evenings and encourages families to check provider information directly, which suggests active signposting rather than a narrow focus on one route.

For families considering post-16 specifically, note again that the most recent Ofsted report lists the school as 11 to 16. If your planning assumes staying on at the same provider after GCSEs, confirm the current arrangements directly with the school early in Year 10 or Year 11.

Admissions are coordinated through Stockton-on-Tees local authority via the common application form for Year 7 entry. The local authority’s published timetable for September 2026 entry sets out a clear process and dates, including the application window opening in early September 2025 and closing on 31 October 2025, with offers issued on 1 March 2026 (or the next working day).

The school’s published admission arrangements are distinctive in two ways:

1. Published admission number (PAN): 150 places for Year 7, and the local authority lists the school at 150 for 2026 arrangements.

2. Oversubscription approach: The admissions criteria for 2025 to 2026 describe priority categories, then allocate places using random selection within categories (including within an “Admission Zone” covering Ingleby Barwick and nearby villages) rather than simple distance ranking.

For many parents, that second point is the most material. Random allocation can feel counterintuitive if you are used to distance-led admissions. The practical implication is that living close is still helpful if it places you inside the defined admission zone, but proximity alone may not determine outcomes once categories are applied. Families should read the most current admissions policy for the relevant entry year and, where needed, seek clarification from the local authority on how the criteria are implemented.

If you want to sense-check your position, FindMySchool’s Map Search remains useful for understanding location and travel practicality, but it should not be treated as a substitute for the school’s published criteria in a random allocation model.

Pastoral support appears to be a deliberate strength. The inspection evidence states that bullying does occur but is rare, and students feel confident staff take it seriously and deal with it effectively. It also notes increased pastoral support, with information shared quickly and actions followed up promptly. The implication for families is a system that is likely to respond quickly to emerging concerns, rather than waiting until issues become entrenched.

Safeguarding arrangements are reported as effective in the most recent inspection evidence. In practical terms, that generally correlates with consistent staff training, clear referral routes, and timely escalation, all of which are especially important in a secondary setting where issues often surface first through behaviour, attendance, or peer dynamics.

Attendance is also addressed directly, with leaders described as having thorough systems and an understanding of why pupils miss school, working with families to improve it. This is worth attention because attendance is now one of the strongest predictors of GCSE outcomes across England.

The longer school day is designed to create additional space for extra-curricular and intervention work. The school’s own published day structure references clubs before and after school, plus a consistent homework club running Monday to Thursday from 3.30pm to 4.30pm.

Two named elements help make the enrichment offer more concrete:

• Duke of Edinburgh’s Award pipeline: The “earn your marks” programme in Key Stage 3 is explicitly framed as preparation for Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Key Stage 4, with a Year 9 graduation ceremony that pupils value. The implication is that character development is not just assemblies; it is a structured progression with milestones.

• Student leadership and community contribution: The student leadership group has organised collections for a local food bank, showing that leadership roles can include tangible responsibility beyond school.

Practical clubs also appear in school communications, including a Sign Language Club referenced in recent school materials.

A final, very practical feature is lunch provision. The school encourages students to eat in the on-site restaurant, with meals prepared on site by the school’s chef. For families, that can make the school day easier to manage, particularly with a longer Monday to Thursday timetable.

School day

Monday to Thursday runs 8.30am to 3.30pm; Friday runs 8.30am to 1.30pm, with students expected to arrive 15 minutes before the start time.

Open events

The school describes a Year 6 open evening as a drop-in event held 5pm to 7pm, typically in early autumn, with multiple presentations during the evening. Dates can vary year to year, so families should check the school’s current calendar.

Term pattern

Term dates are described as broadly aligned with local primary schools, with additional holiday time linked to longer school days.

Transport and access

Open evening guidance notes parking adjacent to the main reception area. For day-to-day travel, families should validate bus options and journey time at the times students actually travel, especially given the early Friday finish.

• Admissions are not purely distance-led. The published criteria describe random selection within categories, including within an Admission Zone. This can make outcomes less predictable than a straightforward nearest-first model.

• The extended day is a commitment. A later finish Monday to Thursday can be a strength for learning time and enrichment, but it affects transport, clubs outside school, and family routines.

• Subject consistency is still a focus area. The most recent inspection evidence highlights variation in how effectively some subjects deliver the planned curriculum. Families with strong subject preferences should ask direct questions about support and staffing in those areas.

• Post-16 planning needs a check-in. The most recent inspection evidence lists the age range as 11 to 16, and the school has published consultation content related to sixth form designation. Confirm the current position early if staying on post-16 is important to your family plan.

Ingleby Manor Free School & Sixth Form combines a highly structured day with a calm culture and outcomes that sit above the England average. The extended timetable, character programme, and strong expectations around behaviour create a setting that can suit students who benefit from routine and clear boundaries, and who are likely to respond well to structured intervention and enrichment.

Best suited to families who value a disciplined school culture, are comfortable with a longer Monday to Thursday day, and want a state secondary delivering above-average GCSE progress. For many, the key decision points will be admissions mechanics, and confirming post-16 pathways early.