Cockton Hill Infant School

Cockton Hill Infant School continues to maintain the good standards established in its previous inspection and has taken effective actions to develop further. The school creates a supportive environment where students are proud to be part of the community and are motivated to learn. With a strong focus on social-emotional learning, pupils with special educational needs receive tailored support that allows them to thrive. The curriculum is well designed and emphasizes important skills, particularly in English and mathematics, which helps pupils make solid progress over time.

Strengths

• Pupils are enthusiastic and proud to attend the school.
• Strong sense of community fosters a supportive learning environment.
• Effective adaptation and support for students with special educational needs.
• The curriculum prioritizes key skills in English and mathematics.
• Pupils enjoy learning through engaging clubs and educational trips.
• Warm and respectful relationships between pupils and staff.
• High levels of pupil engagement and positive behavior.

Areas for Improvement

• Some lessons do not effectively support curriculum aims, affecting pupil progress.
• Attendance is an issue for some pupils, leading to missed learning opportunities.

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 Cockton Hill Infant School attended 94.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.4% 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 Cockton Hill Infant 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 Cockton Hill Infant School had 16.2 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, 22.6% of pupils at Cockton Hill Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.1% 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 Cockton Hill Infant School received £10,972 and spent £10,373 for each of its 146 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £521,000 (£3,567 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 Cockton Hill Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Cockton Hill Infant School is Good, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was Cockton Hill Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

Cockton Hill Infant School was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does Cockton Hill Infant School have?

Cockton Hill Infant School has 146 pupils on roll.

What age range does Cockton Hill Infant School cover?

Cockton Hill Infant School for pupils aged 2 to 7.

Where is Cockton Hill Infant School?

Cockton Hill Infant School is at McIntyre Terrace, Cockton Hill, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 6HW.