Coxhoe Primary School

Coxhoe Primary School is performing strongly across almost all aspects of its work, with inspectors finding that pupils achieve consistently well from their starting points, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged. By the time they leave, pupils attain above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics, and disadvantaged pupils outperform their non-disadvantaged peers nationally. Behaviour and attendance are strong, with high attendance, rare bullying and a calm, purposeful learning environment. The curriculum is ambitious, well-sequenced and delivered consistently well by staff, and inclusion is a notable strength: leaders identify additional needs quickly and support pupils effectively. Safeguarding standards are met. Leadership and governance are strong, with a culture of high professionalism, constructive relationships with families and a clear drive for continual improvement. Personal development and wellbeing are also strengths, with a tailored programme that prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain and offers a wide range of enrichment opportunities. The early years setting is calm and welcoming, with children settling quickly and making progress from their varying starting points. However, inspectors noted that some children's writing skills still need further development, and this is the main area for continued work. The inspection took place on 21 April 2026 under the renewed inspection framework, led by His Majesty's Inspectors. The school is a larger-than-average primary with 315 pupils on roll and no resourced provision or SEND unit. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is close to average, and the proportion with EHC plans is below average. Overall, this is a school operating at a strong standard with no significant weaknesses and one clear next step.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve consistently well from their starting points, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND
• Above-average attainment in national tests, with disadvantaged pupils outperforming non-disadvantaged peers nationally
• Pupils confidently articulate their knowledge and produce high-quality work across the curriculum
• High levels of attendance, including for vulnerable pupils and those with SEND
• Leaders have high expectations for behaviour, and pupils respond positively, with rare incidents of bullying
• An ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum that is delivered consistently well by staff
• Teachers have secure subject knowledge and make thoughtful adaptations for pupils with SEND
• Inclusion is a strength: leaders identify additional needs quickly and support pupils effectively
• Strong leadership and governance, with a culture of high professionalism and continual improvement
• A well-designed personal development programme that prepares pupils for life in modern Britain
• Comprehensive careers curriculum and enrichment programme that raise aspirations
• Wellbeing support is tailored to individual pupils and is a strength of the school
• Early years provision is calm, welcoming and effective, with children settling quickly and making progress
• Staff are highly positive about workload and wellbeing

Areas for Improvement

• Leaders should continue their work to secure foundational skills in writing for children in the early years, so that children are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of their learning

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 Coxhoe Primary School attended 95.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.8% 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 Coxhoe 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 Coxhoe Primary School had 18.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.9% 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 Coxhoe Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.3% 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 Coxhoe Primary School received £7,462 and spent £7,323 for each of its 309 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £443,000 (£1,433 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).

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What is Coxhoe Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Coxhoe Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Coxhoe Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Coxhoe Primary School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Coxhoe Primary School have?

Coxhoe Primary School has 309 pupils on roll.

What age range does Coxhoe Primary School cover?

Coxhoe Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 84% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Coxhoe Primary School?

Coxhoe Primary School is at Cornforth Lane, Coxhoe, Durham, DH6 4EJ.