Bede Academy Catchment Area
Bede Academy is an academy sponsor led special school in Blyth, Northumberland , serving pupils aged 3-18, with 2012 pupils, and a capacity of 1780 places. The school is currently at or above capacity, making catchment area proximity important for admissions.
3-18
Age range
2,012
Pupils
1,780
Capacity
113%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2024
Bede Academy Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Bede Academy?
Bede Academy is a special school in Blyth, Northumberland, and it does not use a standard catchment area. Northumberland allocates places through each child's Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) rather than home-to-school distance, so placement depends on assessed need rather than a geographic boundary.
Admission to Bede Academy follows a different process from mainstream schools. Northumberland assesses each child's Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) to determine appropriate placement. Catchment area does not apply in the same way as mainstream admissions.
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Want the cut-off distance before you apply? Get an alert when Northumberland publishes the 2027 Bede Academy numbers →
For more information on how Northumberland assesses EHCP placements and which schools are named, contact the council's SEND team directly. The council must publish its Local Offer explaining available provision.
Find Northumberland catchment area documents →Bede Academy: heavily oversubscribed at 113% capacity
Bede Academy has a published admission number of 1780 places. 2012 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 113%. At 113% capacity, the school is heavily oversubscribed. Northumberland allocates places using ranked criteria: looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment distance. Living within the catchment area is a strong but not guaranteed advantage, as the last distance offered shrinks each year as applications rise.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 24% of pupils at Bede Academy are eligible for free school meals, broadly in line with the national average. This reflects a mixed catchment population across Northumberland.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Bede Academy: School Information
- Full address
- Sixth Avenue, Blyth, NE24 2SY
- Local authority
- Northumberland
- School type
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase of education
- Special
- Age range
- 3-18 years
- Religious character
- Christian
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 24% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 135619
Nearest special schools by distance
These are the special schools closest to Bede Academy by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: Bede Academy
What is the catchment area for Bede Academy? ▾
Bede Academy is a special school in Blyth, Northumberland, and it does not use a standard catchment area. Northumberland allocates places through each child's Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) rather than home-to-school distance, so placement depends on assessed need rather than a geographic boundary.
Is Bede Academy oversubscribed? ▾
Yes, Bede Academy currently has 2012 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 1780 places. Catchment area proximity is an important admissions criterion when applying.
What is the admissions policy for Bede Academy? ▾
Bede Academy uses both faith criteria and catchment area proximity in its admissions policy. The weighting is reviewed annually and published by Northumberland before each admissions cycle.
What age range does Bede Academy cover? ▾
Bede Academy is a special school in Blyth, Northumberland, serving pupils aged 3-18. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for Bede Academy? ▾
Bede Academy was rated Good by Ofsted in 2024. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.