Rickleton Primary School

Rickleton Primary School is performing exceptionally well, with inspectors finding outstanding provision across every key area examined. The school combines a rich, ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum with high expectations that pupils consistently meet, so that pupils achieve exceptionally well academically, socially and emotionally. Pupils are happy, safe and respectful, lessons proceed without disruption, and personal development is exceptionally strong, including through a wide range of enrichment, leadership roles and preparation for life in modern Britain. The report highlights particularly strong provision for pupils with SEND, highly effective reading and phonics teaching, and an early years curriculum that prepares children exceptionally well for Year 1. Staff receive highly effective professional development, workload is managed well, governance is rigorous, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. Parents speak positively about communication and involvement. This was a graded section 5 inspection following a previous inspection graded good; under the current framework the school did not receive an overall effectiveness grade, but all inspected areas were judged outstanding.

Strengths

• Rich, ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum tailored to the local area and heritage
• Pupils achieve exceptionally well academically, socially and emotionally
• Highly effective reading and phonics teaching develops fluent, confident readers
• Carefully planned SEND provision enables pupils with SEND to access learning and achieve extremely well
• Exemplary behaviour and highly positive attitudes to learning with no disruption in lessons
• Exceptional personal development provision prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain
• Pupils show detailed understanding of equality, discrimination and protected characteristics
• Early years curriculum prepares children exceptionally well for Year 1 and beyond
• Wide range of rich experiences and high take-up by pupils, including clubs and residential visits
• Extensive leadership and character development opportunities, such as peer mentors and eco-councillors
• Highly effective professional development and strong attention to staff well-being and workload
• Governing body provides appropriate rigour and clear oversight
• Effective safeguarding arrangements
• Positive communication with parents and carers

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 Rickleton Primary School attended 96.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.3% 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, 0.4% of pupils at Rickleton 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 Rickleton Primary School had 25.3 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, 10.4% of pupils at Rickleton Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.0% 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 Rickleton Primary School received £6,952 and spent £6,618 for each of its 442 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £317,000 (£717 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 Washington · Sunderland local authority: places and applications

What is Rickleton Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Rickleton Primary School is Outstanding, from an inspection in July 2025.

When was Rickleton Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Rickleton Primary School was last inspected in July 2025.

How many pupils does Rickleton Primary School have?

Rickleton Primary School has 450 pupils on roll.

What age range does Rickleton Primary School cover?

Rickleton Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 89% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Rickleton Primary School?

Rickleton Primary School is at Vigo Lane, Rickleton, Washington, Tyne and Wear, NE38 9EZ.