Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School

Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School is currently rated as requiring improvement across several key areas, including the quality of education, behavior and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. Despite these challenges, the school has notable strengths in early years provision, where children settle quickly and are well-prepared for key stage 1. The school has started to introduce a broad and sequenced curriculum, which is beginning to show positive developments. However, gaps in pupils' knowledge, particularly in mathematics and geography, have been identified as areas needing urgent attention. The current inspection serves as the school's first routine assessment since the pandemic, highlighting the significant changes that the school has undergone recently, including its transition from a first to a primary school.

Strengths

• Children in the early years make a positive start and are well-prepared for key stage 1.
• Improvements in the teaching of early reading have been significant and successful.
• Pupils with SEND are well-supported and fully included in school life.
• Pupils feel safe at school and are confident in reporting concerns.
• The school has effective relationships with parents and works closely with external agencies.

Areas for Improvement

• Learning in subjects beyond reading, especially mathematics, is less effective.
• Pupils' prior knowledge gaps hinder their ability to complete tasks in mathematics and geography.
• Behaviour standards are variable, and clear guidance on expected behaviour is lacking outside the classroom.
• The personal development curriculum does not sufficiently cover different cultures and mental health issues.

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 Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School attended 92.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 23.4% 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, 1.5% of pupils at Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary 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 Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School had 18.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 20.3% 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, 23.6% of pupils at Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.4% 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 Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School received £8,788 and spent £8,679 for each of its 229 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £141,000 (£617 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 Bedlington · Northumberland local authority: places and applications

What is Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in February 2024.

When was Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School was last inspected in February 2024.

How many pupils does Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School have?

Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School has 233 pupils on roll.

What age range does Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School cover?

Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 31% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School?

Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School is at Gordon Terrace, Bedlington, Northumberland, NE22 5DE.