The Grangefield Academy Review 2026: Ofsted Outstanding 11 to 16 Academy in Stockton-on-Tees

High expectations sit at the centre of daily life here, with a clear message to students that effort, behaviour and attendance matter because outcomes matter. The academy is part of Northern Education Trust, and the Trust language around standards, inclusion and non-selective education is repeated consistently across key pages.

For families, the headline is straightforward, the most recent full inspection judged the academy Outstanding across every key judgement area (quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management), following the 07 December 2022 inspection.

The age range is 11 to 16, there is no sixth form, and capacity is 1,050 pupils, with 1,013 on roll at the time of the published inspection profile.

The academy describes a “no excuses” culture, paired with a strong emphasis on pride in uniform, conduct, and participation beyond lessons. The tone is purposeful rather than performative, with the principal explicitly linking standards of behaviour and presentation to the idea that students deserve strong grades and clear next steps after Year 11.

Leadership is stable and visible. The current principal is Kate Wright, and school communications show her in senior leadership from at least September 2019 (as acting principal at that point) through to the present.

This is also a school with a long educational lineage in the town. The wider “Grangefield” story stretches back to the formal opening of the Higher Grade School on 18 January 1896, a centenary that is recorded by local heritage material. For families, that history is less about nostalgia and more about the sense that this is an established community institution that has repeatedly evolved.

On FindMySchool’s GCSE outcomes ranking (based on official data), The Grangefield Academy is ranked 1,730th in England and 7th in Stockton-on-Tees for GCSE outcomes. This places performance broadly in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), rather than at either extreme.

The latest GCSE performance snapshot shows:

• Attainment 8: 45.3

• Progress 8: -0.08

• EBacc average point score: 4.17

• Pupils achieving grades 5 or above in EBacc (as captured): 21.9

The school also publishes recent outcome summaries on its results page. The 2023 to 24 figures shown there align with the Attainment 8 and Progress 8 values above, and include an additional measure many parents look for, 54.5% achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs for 2023 to 24.

A newer set of 2024 to 25 figures is also displayed, including Attainment 8 of 44.17 and 50% achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs, with Progress 8 shown as “N/A” on that page. Treat that as the school’s most recent published snapshot, rather than a like-for-like comparator with earlier years.

The academy frames its curriculum as broad, flexible, and responsive to the needs of different learners as they move through Years 7 to 11. That emphasis matters in a non-selective setting, because the practical challenge is not selecting a high prior-attaining intake, it is ensuring students at a wide range of starting points experience clear sequencing, strong routines, and targeted support.

There are also some practical indicators of structured learning habits. The site points families to specific platforms used to support reading and practice, including Accelerated Reader and Sparx Maths, plus department resources such as English podcasts. Used well, these tools can tighten feedback loops, students practise more, teachers can identify misconceptions earlier, and home learning becomes more consistent across subjects.

Key Stage 4 choices are treated as a deliberate stage rather than an administrative step. A dedicated Year 9 guided pathways evening is referenced in school communications, which signals that options, curriculum pathways, and future routes are discussed with families before GCSE courses narrow the timetable.

Where Students Go Next

With no sixth form on site, the quality of careers education is especially consequential. The academy’s careers programme sets out a full CEIAG (careers education, information, advice and guidance) offer aligned to the Gatsby Benchmarks, with a stated goal of widening aspirations and increasing meaningful encounters with further education, higher education, training and employers.

The core entitlement described includes: at least one independent careers interview by age 16, at least one meaningful employer encounter each year (including STEM employers), and at least one workplace experience by age 16. The programme also references a structured approach through tutor time and a Life@TGA curriculum, plus drop-in support through a weekly Careers Corner.

For families, the implication is clear. If a child is still deciding between college, apprenticeships, and school-based sixth form routes elsewhere, the school is positioning itself as an active guide rather than leaving decisions until late in Year 11. In a town where post-16 routes can vary widely in style and outcomes, that earlier planning reduces the risk of a rushed, reactive choice.

This is a state-funded academy with no tuition fees, and it describes itself as comprehensive and non-selective, accepting children of all abilities under the general criteria used by Stockton Local Authority.

For Year 7 entry, the academy publishes clear key dates for the 2026 to 27 academic year cycle: applications open 8 September 2025, close 31 October 2025, with National Offer Day on 1 March 2026. The page also lists an open evening on Tuesday 30 September 2025 (4pm to 6pm), and sets out the appeal request deadline and typical appeal hearing window.

Demand looks healthy. In the most recent admissions snapshot available there were 515 applications for 201 offers, indicating oversubscription. For families weighing the practical chances of securing a place, it is worth using the FindMySchoolMap Search to check how your home address sits relative to the school and realistic travel patterns, particularly if you are comparing several Stockton options.

Safeguarding is presented as a whole-organisation priority, both through academy policy pages and at Trust level. The safeguarding section makes clear that safeguarding is expected to run through daily routines and curriculum content, rather than being treated as a standalone policy document.

Inspectors also confirmed that pupils feel safe in school and reported calm behaviour around the site, with bullying treated seriously.

SEND support is described in practical, classroom-facing terms. Students with SEND are taught alongside peers in mainstream lessons, supported by dedicated teaching assistants working with teaching staff, and the academy names SEND and inclusion leads to provide a clear route for parental contact.

Enrichment is positioned as more than an optional extra. The academy explicitly links participation in clubs and activities to developing enquiring minds and building confidence outside exam subjects.

The published examples are concrete. Students can access lunchtime and after-school options such as Creative Writing Club, Reading Club, and Homework Club. For some children, especially those who benefit from routine, that combination is useful, it supports literacy habits, offers structured space for independent work, and creates a bridge between school and home learning without making every evening a battleground.

Sport and physical activity are also framed as a daily offer rather than a niche pathway, with the school highlighting regular opportunities across PE, including badminton and dance.

There is also an alumni dimension. The academy invites former students to contribute through mentoring, careers role-modelling, and work experience links. For current pupils, that can make “next steps” feel more real, because advice comes from people who understand the local context and the routes available after Year 11.

The academy publishes a structured “academy day” timetable online, and provides clear traffic-management expectations around drop-off and pick-up. Gates are closed to cars between 8:00am and 8:25am, and again between 2:15pm and 2:50pm, explicitly for student safety at the start and end of the day.

The school also communicates operational detail to families, including guidance that the main driveway and car park are for staff use, with a separate parent and carer drop-off area in place.

For food, the catering offer is described in simple terms, with three main course options daily, jacket potatoes, and hot or cold “grab and go” items such as pizza, paninis, sandwiches, salads and baguettes.

• No sixth form on site. Students will need a planned move at 16. The careers programme is designed to support this, but families should still start exploring local post-16 options early.

• Results sit around the England mid-range on FindMySchool’s ranking. The school’s inspection judgement is extremely strong, but academic outcomes are best understood as solid rather than ultra-selective, so ask how support is targeted for different starting points.

• Oversubscription is a real factor. The latest admissions snapshot available shows more applications than offers. Families should keep realistic alternatives on the application form.

• Key Stage 4 decisions start early. The Year 9 guided pathways process is a positive, but it also means families should engage early with subject choice and route planning.

The Grangefield Academy is a high-expectations, strongly organised 11 to 16 school with a standout inspection profile and clear routines around behaviour, safeguarding, and daily standards. It will suit families who want an orderly, ambitious comprehensive setting, and who are prepared to take post-16 planning seriously from Year 9 onwards. The main constraint is not the education on offer, it is the practical reality that places can be competitive and students will need a well-chosen destination at 16.