Gilbert Ward Academy is a special free school in Blyth, Northumberland, for children and young people aged 11 to 16.
- Ages 11–16
- 83 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Special free school
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 83 (places for 80)
- Headteacher
- Ms Felicity Walton
- Part of
- Prosper Learning Trust
- Opened
- 1 September 2023
- Free school meals
- 71.1% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Northumberland
- School reference (URN)
- 149842
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Northumberland council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Report card, May 2026: Needs attention in 4 of 6 areas
Inspected in May 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
- AchievementNeeds attention
- Attendance and behaviourNeeds attention
- Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceNeeds attention
- SafeguardingMet
Contact and getting there
Princess Louise Road, Blyth, NE24 2TS
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Newsham Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 0.7 miles
- The Dales School Special school · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Outstanding 1.3 miles
- Cambois Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.8 miles
All SEND schools in Northumberland
By need in Northumberland: Autism (15) · SEMH (10) · Speech and language (9) · Moderate learning (9) · Severe learning (7) · Hearing (6) · PMLD (4) · Dyslexia and SpLD (4) · Vision (4) · Multi-sensory (3) · Physical (3)
Questions about Gilbert Ward Academy
How do I get a place at Gilbert Ward Academy?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult Gilbert Ward Academy. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What ages does Gilbert Ward Academy take?
Aged 11 to 16, boys and girls.
What is Gilbert Ward Academy’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Gilbert Ward Academy?
Princess Louise Road, Blyth, NE24 2TS, in Northumberland.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, 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.