Holywell Village First School

Holywell Village First School is a smaller than average first school with a nursery, and this was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspectors found the school outstanding in all graded areas—quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision—up from its previous good grade. The report describes a culture of very high expectations, an ambitious curriculum and exceptionally strong behaviour, with pupils who are safe, happy and highly respectful. Notable strengths include a highly consistent approach to reading and phonics, secure checking of pupils’ learning, strong support for pupils with SEND, and rich personal development and careers-related experiences. Staff feel well supported, and governors provide effective support and challenge. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. The report does not identify any areas for improvement, and no weaknesses are flagged; under the current framework the school does not receive an overall effectiveness grade.

Strengths

• Highly ambitious, well-designed curriculum from early years upwards
• Exceptionally consistent reading and phonics teaching that builds fluent, confident readers
• Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary in lessons and around school
• Pupils show high levels of respect, tolerance and understanding of cultures and religions
• Strong support for pupils with SEND keeps them learning alongside peers
• Well-planned personal development and extra-curricular programme, including careers exposure
• Staff feel well supported and benefit from high-quality training and coaching
• Governors provide effective support and challenge and monitor impact well
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective
• Pupils are very well prepared for the next stage of education
• Strong early years provision with children engaged and enthusiastic

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 Holywell Village First School attended 96.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.2% 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, 0.6% of pupils at Holywell Village First School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was 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 Holywell Village First School had 20.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.0% 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, 13.0% of pupils at Holywell Village First School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.1% 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 Holywell Village First School received £6,780 and spent £7,085 for each of its 150 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £70,000 (-£464 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 Whitley Bay · North Tyneside local authority: places and applications

What is Holywell Village First School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Holywell Village First School is Outstanding, from an inspection in March 2025.

When was Holywell Village First School last inspected by Ofsted?

Holywell Village First School was last inspected in March 2025.

How many pupils does Holywell Village First School have?

Holywell Village First School has 161 pupils on roll.

What age range does Holywell Village First School cover?

Holywell Village First School for pupils aged 3 to 9.

Where is Holywell Village First School?

Holywell Village First School is at Holywell, Holywell Village, Whitley Bay, Northumberland, NE25 0LN.