Bowes Hutchinson's CofE (Aided) School

Bowes Hutchinson's CofE School is a warm and inclusive community that has demonstrated significant progress since its last inspection. The school excels in providing a safe environment where pupils feel secure, and safeguarding standards are fully met. Overall, pupils achieve well in national tests, and staff effectively support their learning across the curriculum. The strong emphasis on early years education ensures children develop essential skills in reading, writing, and mathematics, preparing them well for future learning. However, there are areas where improvements are needed to ensure all pupils consistently achieve high-quality written work and in-depth understanding across subjects.

Strengths

• Pupils generally secure essential knowledge in reading, writing, and mathematics.
• Strong emphasis on phonics and early reading development.
• Inclusive environment supports pupils with special educational needs.
• Teachers have secure subject knowledge and implement effective teaching strategies.
• Pupils exhibit positive behaviour and a clear understanding of school rules.
• Leaders have a secure understanding of school strengths and areas for improvement.

Areas for Improvement

• Teachers do not consistently address misconceptions in writing.
• Inconsistencies in teaching quality in the wider curriculum.

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 Bowes Hutchinson's CofE (Aided) 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, 0.0% of pupils at Bowes Hutchinson's CofE (Aided) 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 Bowes Hutchinson's CofE (Aided) School had 8.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 40.0% 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, 25.6% of pupils at Bowes Hutchinson's CofE (Aided) School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.6% 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 Bowes Hutchinson's CofE (Aided) School received £14,010 and spent £15,165 for each of its 39 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £91,000 (£2,342 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 Barnard Castle · County Durham local authority: places and applications

What is Bowes Hutchinson's CofE (Aided) School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Bowes Hutchinson's CofE (Aided) School is Expected standard, from an inspection in May 2026.

When was Bowes Hutchinson's CofE (Aided) School last inspected by Ofsted?

Bowes Hutchinson's CofE (Aided) School was last inspected in May 2026.

How many pupils does Bowes Hutchinson's CofE (Aided) School have?

Bowes Hutchinson's CofE (Aided) School has 39 pupils on roll.

What age range does Bowes Hutchinson's CofE (Aided) School cover?

Bowes Hutchinson's CofE (Aided) School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

Where is Bowes Hutchinson's CofE (Aided) School?

Bowes Hutchinson's CofE (Aided) School is at Bowes, Bowes Hutchinsons Ce Va Primary School, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 9LG.