Archbishop Runcie CofE First School

Archbishop Runcie Church of England Voluntary Aided First School is a happy, nurturing first school where pupils achieve well and behave well. Inspectors found the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision all good. This was the school's first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it remains a good school; under the current framework no overall effectiveness grade is given. The school is a voluntary aided Church of England first school for pupils aged 3 to 9, part of the Diocese of Newcastle and a partner in the Gosforth Schools' Trust. Strengths include a strong focus on reading, a well-sequenced curriculum, effective support for pupils with SEND, and strong personal development. Pupils take on responsibilities, contribute to the local community, and benefit from clubs and visits. Early years provision is well led, relationships are warm, attendance is improving, and safeguarding is effective. Governors provide effective support and challenge, and staff well-being is considered. To improve, the school should ensure that planned activities consistently match the intended learning so pupils deepen their understanding, and that misconceptions are identified and addressed consistently so errors do not persist. Some less-experienced readers also need more practice to build fluency.

Strengths

• Nurturing, caring environment where pupils are happy and proud to attend
• Pupils behave well and are kind and considerate to each other
• Strong reading provision with well-trained staff and early support for pupils who fall behind
• Well-sequenced curriculum with high ambition and regular review
• Pupils with SEND are well supported and typically achieve well alongside their peers
• Strong personal development through pupil roles, community action, clubs and visits
• Effective early years provision with warm relationships and a good balance of activities
• Effective governance with appropriate support and challenge for leaders
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective
• Attendance is improving through proactive work with families

Areas for Improvement

• In a small number of subjects, planned activities do not match the intended learning well enough
• Misconceptions are not consistently identified and addressed, so some errors persist
• Some less-experienced readers need more practice to develop fluency

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 Archbishop Runcie CofE First School attended 95.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.3% 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, 1.7% of pupils at Archbishop Runcie CofE First School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was 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 Archbishop Runcie CofE First School had 21.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 37.5% 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, 11.6% of pupils at Archbishop Runcie CofE First School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.0% 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 Archbishop Runcie CofE First School received £7,342 and spent £6,986 for each of its 164 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £43,000 (£265 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 Newcastle-Upon-Tyne · Newcastle upon Tyne local authority: places and applications

What is Archbishop Runcie CofE First School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Archbishop Runcie CofE First School is Good, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was Archbishop Runcie CofE First School last inspected by Ofsted?

Archbishop Runcie CofE First School was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does Archbishop Runcie CofE First School have?

Archbishop Runcie CofE First School has 164 pupils on roll.

What age range does Archbishop Runcie CofE First School cover?

Archbishop Runcie CofE First School for pupils aged 3 to 9.

Where is Archbishop Runcie CofE First School?

Archbishop Runcie CofE First School is at Christon Road, Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE3 1US.