West Lane Primary School

West Lane Primary School is a mainstream primary school that was inspected in June and July 2026. Ofsted found the school meeting expected standards in all evaluated areas, and safeguarding standards are met. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, typically achieve well in the Year 6 national tests and the Year 1 phonics screening check, attendance is broadly in line with national averages, and persistent absence is reducing. Behaviour is strong: pupils are polite, kind and respectful, bullying is rare, and staff respond quickly when it does occur. Early years gives children a flying start, and the school is inclusive, with effective support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils. The curriculum has been strengthened, especially in phonics, writing and mathematics, and leaders have a clear vision shared by staff. Governance is knowledgeable and provides appropriate support and challenge, and most staff and parents are positive about the school. Personal development is broad, with trips, clubs, pupil leadership roles and preparation for life beyond school. The main areas for development are refinements rather than systemic weaknesses. Spelling errors in written work are not consistently addressed outside English and writing lessons. In early years, some activities are occasionally not precisely matched to children's starting points, and some pupils struggle to recall personal development learning, such as different faiths, protected characteristics and fundamental British values, in depth. Leaders should also deepen opportunities for pupils to extend their knowledge so all achieve as well as they should. Recent published outcomes for 2024/25 dipped below national averages in some measures, including combined reading, writing and mathematics and mathematics, although three-year averages are closer to national and leaders have acted on earlier weaknesses such as the Year 4 multiplication check.

Strengths

• Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, typically achieve well in Year 6 national tests and the Year 1 phonics screening check.
• Pupils demonstrate secure knowledge and recall, for example discussing deforestation and Pluto's place in the solar system.
• Attendance is broadly in line with national averages, and persistent absence is reducing over time.
• Pupils behave well, are unfailingly polite, kind and respectful, and bullying is rare.
• The curriculum is well sequenced in phonics, writing and mathematics, and teachers have secure subject knowledge.
• Subject coordinators receive specialist training and are well supported to help colleagues deliver the curriculum consistently.
• Early years provides a vibrant, inspiring start and develops children's early reading, writing and number knowledge.
• Inclusion is a strength: pupils with SEND, looked-after pupils and disadvantaged pupils are identified early and supported effectively.
• Leaders have a clear, shared vision and make decisions in pupils' best interests.
• Governors are knowledgeable, provide suitable support and challenge, and oversee additional funding effectively.
• Personal development includes a wide range of trips, clubs, leadership roles, safety education and preparation for work.
• Staff workload and wellbeing are considered, and most staff and parents are positive about the school.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture in which concerns are actively identified and managed.

Areas for Improvement

• Spelling errors in written work are not consistently addressed by teachers outside English and writing lessons.
• Some early years activities are not always precisely matched to children's starting points.
• Some pupils struggle to recall personal development learning, including different faiths, protected characteristics and fundamental British values, in depth.
• Leaders should further strengthen opportunities for pupils to extend and deepen their knowledge so they achieve as well as they should.
• Recent 2024/25 published outcomes in combined reading, writing and mathematics and mathematics were below national averages, and the disadvantaged gap widened that year.

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 West Lane Primary School attended 95.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.4% 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, 0.9% of pupils at West Lane 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 West Lane Primary School had 20.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 6.8% 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, 12.1% of pupils at West Lane Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.3% 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 West Lane Primary School received £7,195 and spent £7,649 for each of its 299 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £115,000 (£383 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 Blaydon-On-Tyne · Gateshead local authority: places and applications

What is West Lane Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for West Lane Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was West Lane Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

West Lane Primary School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does West Lane Primary School have?

West Lane Primary School has 305 pupils on roll.

What age range does West Lane Primary School cover?

West Lane Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 53% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is West Lane Primary School?

West Lane Primary School is at West Lane, Winlaton, Blaydon-on-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE21 6PH.