Welcome, Ethos and Values

Steve Campbell, Executive Headteacher

Jesmond Park Academy is a thriving, inclusive, and ambitious school community, home to over 2,000 students, including a vibrant Sixth Form. We are proud to be a multicultural, co-educational comprehensive academy that values its rich heritage while looking forward with optimism and purpose to the future.

As a proud member of Gosforth Group, we are part of a family of schools united by a shared commitment to excellence, collaboration, and 'Creating Futures'. This partnership enhances our ability to deliver an outstanding education and ensures our students benefit from a broad network of support and opportunity.

Our mission is to provide an outstanding education that empowers every student to achieve academic excellence, grow personally, and prepare confidently for their future. At the heart of our school are values that shape everything we do: respect, integrity, resilience, and kindness. We believe in creating a calm, purposeful environment where students feel safe, supported, and inspired to aim high.

We celebrate hard work, encourage curiosity, and foster a culture of mutual respect and cooperation.

I’m proud to work alongside Dave Merrifield, our Head of School, whose leadership is grounded in care, clarity, and a deep commitment to student success. Dave brings a wealth of experience and a clear vision for Jesmond Park Academy, one that places students at the centre of every decision and promotes a culture of aspiration and achievement.

Under Dave’s guidance, the academy continues to flourish as a place where learning is engaging, relationships are strong, and every student is encouraged to reach their full potential. Our Sixth Form provision is a particular point of pride, offering a wide range of academic and enrichment opportunities that prepare students for university, apprenticeships, and the world of work.

We are also a regional centre for students with hearing impairment, offering tailored support and inclusive learning experiences. Our students benefit from a high-quality curriculum and an exceptional range of extracurricular activities, helping them develop academically, socially, and emotionally.

We are proud of our students, our staff, and the wider community we serve. Jesmond Park Academy is a school where excellence is expected, and every individual is valued. We look forward to welcoming you and sharing all that makes our academy such a special place to learn and grow.

Dave Merrifield, Head of School

I am very proud to be the Head of School at Jesmond Park Academy. You will find that our school is very welcoming and inclusive in the true meaning of the word.

The success of the school is built on a strong knowledge based curriculum, good attendance, excellent teaching and well embedded PRAISE code and routines. These are the building blocks of success complemented by our extra-curricular provision and additional pastoral resources such as our wellbeing centre, NUFC programme, MRC mentoring and streetwise to mention a few. In all year groups 7-13 we have very strong specialist pastoral year teams that will support you children through their time at Jesmond Park Academy. This means that we can provide support for students beyond the classroom and ensure that our students thrive.

We have a very well developed broad and balanced curriculum at key stage 3 which leads into our option choices at key stage 4, these are a combination of GCSEs and BTEC qualifications. The majority of students stay with us for their post-sixteen education studying a range of subjects at A level and level 3 BTECs. Our careers information advice and guidance runs through year 7 to 13 and is nationally recognised for its high quality. Our commitment to this ensures that our students have the confidence and knowledge to succeed at their next chosen destination. Whether this be an apprenticeship, university, college or employment.

Thanks to the collaborative way that we work with families and our students the students that attend Jesmond Park Academy achieve some truly remarkable academic results and extra-curricular activities both in side school and within the local community. I am always keen to recognise and celebrate our student successes.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about Jesmond Park Academy. I look forward to welcoming you to our school.

Our Ethos and Values

At Jesmond Park Academy, we are proud of our inclusive ethos and our commitment to supporting students of all abilities. Our academic performance consistently exceeds national averages across a wide range of GCSEs, A Level, and vocational subjects. But more than that, we prepare our students to leave us with confidence, maturity, and a clear sense of purpose, ready to take their next steps into university, training, apprenticeships, or employment.

We believe in creating an environment where every student can:

Participate fully in all learning opportunities without hindrance
Build positive self-esteem and confidence as individuals
Feel secure amongst their peers and show care and compassion for one another
Excel with confidence and celebrate their talents and successes
Be prepared to “have a go”, take risks, and embrace new challenges
Persevere through setbacks, showing resilience and determination
Become independent learners, equipped for lifelong learning
Develop holistically, ethically, intellectually, socially, and morally

These values are woven into the fabric of our school culture. We foster a calm, purposeful, and respectful environment where effort is recognised, curiosity is encouraged, and every student is supported to grow into the best version of themselves.