Butterknowle Primary School

Butterknowle Primary School is currently navigating through a period of transformation after joining a federation of schools. The school has established a supportive environment that promotes safety and inclusion, with leaders actively working to improve pupil outcomes. While relationships between pupils and staff are strong, and safeguarding measures are effectively implemented, there are notable challenges in academic achievement, particularly in reading, writing, and mathematics, which remain below national averages. Overall, the school demonstrates a commitment to enhancing educational quality but requires further development in curriculum and instruction to better prepare pupils for secondary education.

Strengths

• Strong community relationships foster a positive school environment.
• Effective early years provision ensuring a secure start for children.
• Proactive safeguarding measures established by leaders.
• Commitment to improving the curriculum and raising pupil achievement.
• Staff are motivated and engaged in the changes being implemented.

Areas for Improvement

• Pupils' achievement in reading, writing, and mathematics is significantly below national averages.
• Inconsistent application of new assessment systems among teachers.
• Limited opportunities for pupils to deepen knowledge in some subjects.

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 Butterknowle Primary School attended 95.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.8% 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 Butterknowle 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 Butterknowle Primary School had 17.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 25.0% 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, 25.9% of pupils at Butterknowle Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.9% 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 Butterknowle Primary School received £10,138 and spent £10,565 for each of its 54 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £67,000 (£1,237 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 Bishop Auckland · County Durham local authority: places and applications

What is Butterknowle Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Butterknowle Primary School is Needs attention, from an inspection in April 2026.

When was Butterknowle Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Butterknowle Primary School was last inspected in April 2026.

How many pupils does Butterknowle Primary School have?

Butterknowle Primary School has 54 pupils on roll.

What age range does Butterknowle Primary School cover?

Butterknowle Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 29% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Butterknowle Primary School?

Butterknowle Primary School is at Pinfold Lane, Butterknowle, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL13 5PB.