Escomb Primary School

Escomb Primary School is a small, caring and inclusive school that is performing at the expected standard across all inspected areas, with safeguarding standards met. Pupils are safe, happy and well cared for, behave well, and most attend regularly. The school has a broad curriculum, strong early years provision, effective support for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND, and a well-developed personal development programme. Leaders, governors and staff have an accurate view of the school and have made positive changes, particularly in mathematics and reading. Staff value their professional development, and relationships between pupils and adults are warm and positive. Pupils benefit from a wide range of clubs, leadership roles and community experiences, and they are well prepared for their next steps. However, some weaknesses remain. A minority of pupils do not develop writing skills as quickly as they could, and writing errors are not always corrected promptly. In some foundation subjects, teaching is variable and pupils are sometimes moved on before securing key knowledge. A small minority of pupils, including some with SEND, are absent too often, and disadvantaged pupils' attainment in reading and mathematics is below national non-disadvantaged peers. Leaders are addressing these areas, but some work, especially on higher attainment at the end of key stage 2, is in its early stages.

Strengths

• Pupils are safe, happy and well cared for, with positive relationships with staff.
• Pupils behave well in lessons and social times, and low-level disruption and bullying are rare.
• Most pupils attend regularly, and leaders act quickly to support declining attendance.
• The curriculum is generally well sequenced in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Pupils learn to read quickly and receive timely extra help when needed.
• Early years provision is strong, with high-quality interactions and a priority on reading.
• Pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils are accurately identified and well supported.
• Leaders and governors have an accurate view of the school and provide effective support and challenge.
• Staff benefit from high-quality professional development and leaders are mindful of workload.
• Personal development is well sequenced, with wide clubs, leadership opportunities and community links.

Areas for Improvement

• A minority of pupils do not develop their writing skills as quickly as they could.
• Teachers do not consistently correct writing errors quickly enough, so some pupils repeat mistakes.
• Teaching in some foundation subjects is variable and pupils can move on before securing key knowledge.
• A minority of pupils do not achieve as highly as they could in national tests.
• Disadvantaged pupils' attainment lags behind national non-disadvantaged pupils in reading and mathematics.
• A small minority of pupils, including those with SEND, are absent more than they should be.
• Leaders need to increase the number of pupils reaching the higher standard or greater depth at the end of key stage 2.

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 Escomb Primary School attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.0% 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, 1.8% of pupils at Escomb 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 Escomb Primary School had 16.7 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, 10.6% of pupils at Escomb Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.6% 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 Escomb Primary School received £7,689 and spent £8,278 for each of its 160 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £7,000 (-£42 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 Escomb Primary School's Ofsted rating?

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

When was Escomb Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Escomb Primary School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Escomb Primary School have?

Escomb Primary School has 160 pupils on roll.

What age range does Escomb Primary School cover?

Escomb Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 57% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Escomb Primary School?

Escomb Primary School is at Three Lane Ends, Escomb, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 7SR.