Portobello Primary School

Portobello Primary School is maintaining its reputation as a good school, providing a calm and welcoming environment where pupils feel safe and valued. The engagement of pupils in their learning is commendable, with clear expectations set by staff and a range of leadership opportunities for students. The school has implemented effective curriculum strategies across various subjects, ensuring pupils, including those with special educational needs, are well supported in accessing their education and achieving key outcomes.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe and supported by warm, caring staff.
• Strong emphasis on pupil engagement and participation in learning.
• Well-sequenced and logical curriculum with clear goals.
• Effective support for pupils with SEND through personalized strategies.
• Positive relationships between staff and pupils foster a conducive learning environment.

Areas for Improvement

• Some aspects of the curriculum for personal development lack depth, particularly in raising awareness of different faiths and beliefs.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Portobello Primary School attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Portobello Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Portobello Primary School had 20.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 17.6% of pupils at Portobello Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.7% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Portobello Primary School received £6,832 and spent £6,960 for each of its 182 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £12,000 (-£67 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Chester Le Street · Gateshead local authority: places and applications

What is Portobello Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Portobello Primary School is Good, from an inspection in December 2023.

When was Portobello Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Portobello Primary School was last inspected in December 2023.

How many pupils does Portobello Primary School have?

Portobello Primary School has 182 pupils on roll.

What age range does Portobello Primary School cover?

Portobello Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Portobello Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 71% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Portobello Primary School?

Portobello Primary School is at Tamerton Drive, Birtley, Chester le Street, County Durham, DH3 2LY.