Walker Riverside Academy
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE6 4AW · Newcastle upon Tyne · secondary school
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9th of 13 secondary schools in Newcastle upon Tyne we can score, 17 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 2.4/10 against 105 of them, against 1.0/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 29.7 · 15 | 46% | 0.70 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.92 · 4 | 38% | 0.15 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 37.1 · 9 | 15% | 0.14 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Walker Riverside Academy overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 21.9% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 35.5, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.92 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (1.4 out of 10 against similar schools, 0.5 out of 10 against all schools).
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join CCF, Football Academy, COMMIT, and Student Leadership clubs, with an after-school club also available.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,101 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,301. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to close the gap between their current attainment and the national median? What specific support is available for students aiming to improve their Progress 8 scores?
What Ofsted said about Walker Riverside Academy
Overview
Walker Riverside Academy is described as a “calm, purposeful place to learn” where pupils feel safe and have a “palpable sense of belonging.” While the quality of education “requires improvement,” leaders’ actions are driving marked improvements, with behaviour and personal development rated as good.
Strengths
- Pupils are “proud to attend” and benefit from a structure of three ‘schools within a school’ that fosters belonging.
- Staff use a “firm but fair” approach to behaviour, supported by merit systems that recognise good conduct.
- The curriculum is “typically well designed, ambitious and reflective of the school’s context,” with a strong focus on literacy.
- Teachers follow the ‘Walker Toolkit’ to build on prior learning and address misconceptions, helping pupils develop a “secure grasp of important knowledge.”
- The reading curriculum is “well designed,” with staff quickly identifying and supporting pupils with gaps in their reading knowledge.
Areas to improve
- The school must continue its work to develop the curriculum in a few subjects where it is not yet fully established, as achievement is less evident there.
- Implementation of the curriculum is inconsistent in some subjects; the school should support teachers to deliver it equally well across all areas so pupils achieve as well as they should.
Safeguarding
The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 37.0 |
| 2024/25 | 35.5 |
| 2025/26 | 37.1 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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