Pittington Primary School

Pittington Primary School is performing well and continues to be classified as a good school. Pupils demonstrate pride in their school and exhibit impressive conduct, responding positively to the high expectations set by leaders. The curriculum engages students effectively, particularly in reading, and teachers are skilled in supporting all learners, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school is committed to personal development and provides a welcoming environment, contributing to a strong sense of community among students. However, there are areas for further improvement, particularly in subjects where teachers may not yet have the subject-specific knowledge to deliver the new curriculum effectively. Leaders have identified this gap and are taking steps to enhance training and curriculum plans to ensure all students receive a comprehensive and robust education across all subjects. The report acknowledges the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the school's operations, making this the first regular inspection since its onset.

Strengths

• Pupils exhibit superb conduct and take pride in their environment.
• The curriculum is ambitious and well-designed, engaging pupils' imagination.
• Reading is well taught, with a new phonics program enhancing skills for early readers.
• Staff are highly skilled and receive valuable support for teaching pupils with SEND.
• Pupils benefit from strong personal development initiatives, including learning about different cultures.

Areas for Improvement

• Some teachers lack sufficient subject knowledge to effectively deliver aspects of the new curriculum.
• The previous curriculum did not adequately support the development of certain geographical skills.

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 Pittington Primary School attended 96.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.7% 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, 0.5% of pupils at Pittington 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 Pittington Primary School had 23.7 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, 9.7% of pupils at Pittington Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.0% 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 Pittington Primary School received £7,131 and spent £6,926 for each of its 195 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £116,000 (£595 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 Durham · County Durham local authority: places and applications

What is Pittington Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Pittington Primary School is Good, from an inspection in September 2022.

When was Pittington Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Pittington Primary School was last inspected in September 2022.

How many pupils does Pittington Primary School have?

Pittington Primary School has 196 pupils on roll.

What age range does Pittington Primary School cover?

Pittington Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

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

In 2025, 65% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Pittington Primary School?

Pittington Primary School is at Hallgarth Lane, Pittington, Pittington Primary School, Durham, DH6 1AF.