Harton Primary School

Harton Primary School is performing well, maintaining its status as a good school since its last inspection in 2013. The school fosters a vibrant and inclusive environment where pupils feel a strong sense of belonging. High expectations surrounding behaviour contribute to a positive learning atmosphere, and the commitment of staff ensures that pupils achieve well across various subjects. There are effective supports in place for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), allowing them to thrive alongside their peers. Despite its strengths, there are areas for improvement, notably in some subjects where the tasks assigned to pupils may not fully support the intended learning outcomes. The school is aware of this challenge and is taking steps to provide further support for teachers in delivering lessons that accurately focus on critical knowledge and skills. Overall, Harton Primary School continues to serve its community effectively, demonstrating a strong commitment to the academic and personal development of its pupils.

Strengths

• Pupils feel a sense of belonging and are part of an inclusive community.
• High expectations for behaviour lead to a positive classroom environment.
• Effective support is provided for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• A well-structured and ambitious curriculum covers essential knowledge from Nursery to Year 6.
• Strong emphasis on reading and effective phonics teaching ensures pupils become confident readers.
• A wide range of extra-curricular activities enhances pupils' learning experiences.
• Active engagement of pupils in their personal development with opportunities for them to share their views.

Areas for Improvement

• Some lesson tasks do not focus sufficiently on key concepts and skills needed for intended learning.

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 Harton Primary School attended 93.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 18.8% 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, 1.9% of pupils at Harton 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 Harton Primary School had 19.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 3.1% 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, 18.7% of pupils at Harton Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.9% 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 Harton Primary School received £7,004 and spent £7,277 for each of its 623 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £140,000 (£226 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 South Shields · South Tyneside local authority: places and applications

What is Harton Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Harton Primary School is Good, from an inspection in December 2023.

When was Harton Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Harton Primary School was last inspected in December 2023.

How many pupils does Harton Primary School have?

Harton Primary School has 636 pupils on roll.

What age range does Harton Primary School cover?

Harton Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 70% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Harton Primary School?

Harton Primary School is at East Avenue, South Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE34 6PF.