Ryton Junior School

Ryton Junior School is a good school where pupils are happy, safe and well supported. Inspectors found high expectations for achievement, warm relationships between staff and pupils, and strong outcomes, particularly in reading and mathematics. Reading is central to the curriculum, pupils behave well, attendance strategies are successful, and pupils with SEND are well supported and fully included. The school also provides high-quality personal development, including mental health support, wider experiences and opportunities for pupils to take responsibility. The curriculum is broad and ambitious, and teaching is generally effective, with teachers checking understanding and addressing gaps. Leadership is effective and ambitious, staff workload and well-being are supported, and governors are skilled and fulfil their duties well. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. This was the school's first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is part of the Ryton Federation with Ryton Infant School, sharing an executive headteacher and governing body. There are two main areas for improvement. The school's recent work to develop pupils' writing is not yet fully embedded, and not enough pupils produce writing of a higher standard. In addition, pupils' understanding of different world faiths, protected characteristics and fundamental British values is not as secure as it should be, which limits their understanding of the wider world.

Strengths

• Reading is at the heart of the curriculum, with pupils reading widely and for pleasure.
• Pupils who need support with reading are identified quickly and helped to catch up effectively.
• The curriculum is broad and ambitious and helps pupils build knowledge over time.
• Teachers have secure subject knowledge and use effective questioning to check understanding.
• Pupils achieve well, with strong outcomes in national tests, particularly in reading and mathematics.
• Pupils with SEND are supported well and fully included in school life.
• Pupils behave well, are polite and respectful, and most are enthusiastic about learning.
• Attendance is a priority and strategies to overcome barriers are successful.
• Personal, social and health education is thoughtfully planned and age-appropriate.
• The school provides high-quality support for pupils' wider development and well-being, including mental health strategies.
• Pupils benefit from a range of exciting experiences, including residential and outdoor learning.
• Pupils are taught to take responsibility through roles such as school councillors and sports leaders.
• Pupils are tolerant and value differences in other people.
• Leadership is effective, ambitious and committed, with strong support for staff well-being.
• Governors are highly skilled, know the school's priorities and fulfil their statutory duties well.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• The school's recent work to develop pupils' writing skills is not fully embedded.
• Not enough pupils produce writing of a higher standard.
• Pupils' understanding of different world faiths, protected characteristics and fundamental British values is not as secure as it should be.
• Pupils have a limited understanding of the wider world.

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 Ryton Junior School attended 94.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 15.2% 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, 1.6% of pupils at Ryton Junior 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 Ryton Junior School had 24.6 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, 16.5% of pupils at Ryton Junior School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.5% 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 Ryton Junior School received £6,728 and spent £7,739 for each of its 133 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £171,000 (-£1,288 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 Ryton · Gateshead local authority: places and applications

What is Ryton Junior School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ryton Junior School is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Ryton Junior School last inspected by Ofsted?

Ryton Junior School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Ryton Junior School have?

Ryton Junior School has 133 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ryton Junior School cover?

Ryton Junior School for pupils aged 7 to 11.

What are Ryton Junior School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Ryton Junior School?

Ryton Junior School is at Main Road, Ryton, Tyne and Wear, NE40 3AF.