Sunnybrow Primary School

Sunnybrow Primary School is a small, caring and inclusive community primary where pupils are well supported and most achieve well. Leaders have recently improved the ambition and sequencing of the curriculum, and regular checks on understanding help staff address misconceptions quickly. Reading is a clear priority, with daily reading lessons and targeted support helping pupils read confidently; pupils with SEND are identified quickly and supported effectively, and parents are overwhelmingly positive. Behaviour and attitudes are strong: pupils understand the school values, manage their emotions well and are engaged in lessons. Personal development is broad, including online safety, mental health, healthy relationships and civic opportunities, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. Leadership is committed, staff well-being is prioritised and governors have an accurate view of the school. The main areas for improvement are in early years, where adult interactions during free-flow activities sometimes do not extend children’s learning, and attendance, where a significant minority of pupils miss too much school and develop gaps in knowledge. Some pupils also carry gaps from previous curriculum coverage, although the new curriculum is now having a positive impact.

Strengths

• Caring, inclusive and nurturing environment where pupils thrive
• Ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum across all subjects
• Regular checks on understanding and quick response to misconceptions
• Effective support for pupils with SEND, including those with complex needs
• Strong early reading provision and targeted support for pupils who need help
• Pupils behave well and are engaged and motivated
• Broad personal development offer covering safety, mental health, relationships and life skills
• Strong leadership with pupils' best interests and staff well-being at the heart
• Effective governance and accurate oversight of the school
• Effective safeguarding arrangements

Areas for Improvement

• Early years free-flow interactions do not consistently extend children's learning, language or skills
• A significant minority of pupils do not attend regularly enough or on time, leading to knowledge gaps and lower achievement

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 Sunnybrow Primary School attended 93.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 26.2% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Sunnybrow 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 Sunnybrow Primary School had 10.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 16.7% 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, 35.2% of pupils at Sunnybrow Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 11.1% 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 Sunnybrow Primary School received £16,234 and spent £14,312 for each of its 54 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £254,000 (£4,704 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 Crook · County Durham local authority: places and applications

What is Sunnybrow Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Sunnybrow Primary School is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was Sunnybrow Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Sunnybrow Primary School was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does Sunnybrow Primary School have?

Sunnybrow Primary School has 54 pupils on roll.

What age range does Sunnybrow Primary School cover?

Sunnybrow Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

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

In 2025, 36% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Sunnybrow Primary School?

Sunnybrow Primary School is at Hunwick Lane, Crook, County Durham, DL15 0LT.