[1] It was established in 1960 as Ashington County Grammar School.

In 2007 it became a foundation school in administered by Northumberland County Council and the Ashington Learning Partnership.

[2] The school also gained specialist status as a Sports College.

The school is now sponsored by the North East Learning Trust.

Ashington Academy offers GCSEs and BTECs as programmes of study for pupils,[4] while students in the sixth form have the option to study from a range of A-levels and further BTECs.