Victoria Lane Academy

Victoria Lane Academy has been rated as 'Good' in all areas, indicative of a strong educational environment where pupils feel well cared for and are nurtured. Staff members know their students exceptionally well, promoting a sense of community akin to being part of a family. The school's broad, well-planned curriculum supports both academic and personal development, with teachers addressing the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs. However, the school is facing challenges with regular attendance, which has been identified as a key area for improvement, along with the limited opportunities for cultural development for students.

Strengths

• Strong sense of community among pupils and staff.
• High levels of care and support for pupils.
• Effective curriculum planning and subject knowledge among teachers.
• Successful early reading initiatives.
• Pupils are well prepared for future learning.

Areas for Improvement

• High rates of pupil absence and persistent absence.
• Limited opportunities for cultural development.

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 Victoria Lane Academy attended 90.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 24.3% 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, 6.4% of pupils at Victoria Lane Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). 2 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 Victoria Lane Academy had 17.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.3% 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, 25.8% of pupils at Victoria Lane Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.3% 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 2024–25 Victoria Lane Academy received £8,435 and spent £8,345 for each of its 169 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £34,000 (£200 per pupil).

Across all 7 schools of Tudhoe Learning Trust, income was £7,731 and spending £7,710 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Bishop Auckland · County Durham local authority: places and applications

Victoria Lane Academy is part of Tudhoe Learning Trust, which runs 7 schools. The nearest others:

• Stephenson Way Academy and Nursery School Newton Aycliffe
• Tudhoe Colliery Primary School Spennymoor
• South Hetton Primary Durham
• Acre Rigg Academy Peterlee
• Dene House Primary School Peterlee
• Shield Row Primary School Stanley

What is Victoria Lane Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Victoria Lane Academy is Good, from an inspection in March 2024.

When was Victoria Lane Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Victoria Lane Academy was last inspected in March 2024.

How many pupils does Victoria Lane Academy have?

Victoria Lane Academy has 155 pupils on roll.

What age range does Victoria Lane Academy cover?

Victoria Lane Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Victoria Lane Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 46% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Victoria Lane Academy?

Victoria Lane Academy is at Victoria Lane, Coundon, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 8NN.