NCEA Duke's Secondary School is a mainstream secondary school in Ashington, Northumberland, for children and young people aged 11 to 19. In January 2026, 218 of its 980 pupils (22.2%) were getting SEN support and 61 (6.2%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–19
- 980 pupils
- Ofsted: Requires improvement
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Northumberland.
22.2% get SEN support
218 of 980 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Higher than the England average.
6.2% have an EHC plan
61 of 980 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Higher than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health89
- Moderate learning difficulty79
- Speech, language and communication55
- Autism42
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia7
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Academy (sponsored)
- Ages
- 11 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 980 (places for 1,150)
- Headteacher
- Mr Ruston Atkinson (Executive Director)
- Part of
- Northumberland Church of England Academy Trust
- Faith
- Church of England
- Free school meals
- 50.2% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Northumberland
- School reference (URN)
- 135886
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Northumberland council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Requires improvement, June 2023
Rated Requires improvement at its last graded inspection, in June 2023.
- Quality of educationRequires improvement
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Academy Road, Ashington, NE63 9FZ
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- NCEA Castle School Special school · Ages 2–19 · Ofsted: Good 0.0 miles
- Gust Independent School Independent · Ages 6–17 · Ofsted: Good 1.3 miles
- Cambois Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 2.1 miles
- Newsham Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 4.4 miles
Other mainstream schools
- NCEA Bishop's Primary School Primary · Ages 2–11 · SEN support 29%, EHC plans 4.5% 0.0 miles
- St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Ashington Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 14.7%, EHC plans 2.9% 0.3 miles
- NCEA Thomas Bewick C of E Primary School Primary · Ages 2–11 · SEN support 32.8%, EHC plans 7.9% 0.3 miles
All mainstream schools in Northumberland SEND schools in Northumberland
Questions about NCEA Duke's Secondary School
How many pupils at NCEA Duke's Secondary School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 218 of the 980 pupils (22.2%) were getting SEN support and 61 (6.2%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at NCEA Duke's Secondary School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (89 pupils), moderate learning difficulties (79 pupils) and speech, language and communication needs (55 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at NCEA Duke's Secondary School?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at NCEA Duke's Secondary School?
Through Northumberland council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to NCEA Duke's Secondary School?
You can ask for NCEA Duke's Secondary School to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does NCEA Duke's Secondary School have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Cambois Primary School, about 2.1 miles away.
Where is NCEA Duke's Secondary School?
Academy Road, Ashington, NE63 9FZ, in Northumberland.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.