Hilton Primary Academy

Hilton Primary Academy is a highly effective school where pupils thrive in a safe, caring and aspirational environment. Inspectors found exceptional provision across all areas, with pupils achieving very well and behaving impeccably. Leaders have high expectations from the moment children join, and the school’s curriculum is carefully sequenced so that pupils build knowledge deeply over time. The school is particularly strong in reading, early years, mathematics and personal development. Children benefit from a well-delivered phonics programme, strong support for pupils with SEND, and a wide range of enriching experiences that develop confidence and cultural awareness. Attendance has improved, safeguarding is effective, and staff, parents and pupils speak positively about the school. Hilton Primary Academy is part of Northern Education Trust, and trust leaders, trustees and the academy council know the school well. Leaders are described as relentless and not complacent, with sharply focused development planning. No areas for improvement were identified in this inspection; the school continues to be outstanding overall.

Strengths

• Highly ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum across all subjects
• Exceptional early years provision with eager learners and well-considered resources
• Strong focus on vocabulary development throughout the curriculum
• Highly effective staff training and support
• Teachers use assessment and questioning skilfully to check understanding
• Pupils with SEND are accurately identified and well supported
• Reading is prioritised, with expert phonics teaching from Reception
• Pupils behave impeccably and show kindness and respect
• Attendance has improved through effective analysis and action
• The ‘Life’ curriculum builds pupils’ wider development exceptionally well
• A tremendous range of extra-curricular opportunities and pupil responsibilities
• Leaders at all levels are relentless and well supported by the trust
• Staff are proud to work at the school and feel supported in workload and well-being
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

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 Hilton Primary Academy attended 93.9% 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, 4.5% of pupils at Hilton Primary Academy 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 Hilton Primary Academy had 25.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.7% 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, 23.1% of pupils at Hilton Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.9% 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 2024–25 Hilton Primary Academy received £7,425 and spent £6,905 for each of its 410 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £433,000 (£1,057 per pupil).

Across all 30 schools of Northern Education Trust, income was £8,462 and spending £8,166 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 Newcastle-Upon-Tyne · Newcastle upon Tyne local authority: places and applications

Hilton Primary Academy is part of Northern Education Trust, which runs 30 schools. The nearest others:

• Walbottle Academy Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
• Thorp Academy Ryton
• The Blyth Academy Blyth
• Red House Academy Sunderland
• Farringdon Community Academy Sunderland
• Hetton Academy Houghton Le Spring
• Dyke House Sports and Technology College Hartlepool
• Manor Community Academy Hartlepool
• Frederick Nattrass Primary Academy Stockton-On-Tees
• Norton Primary Academy Stockton-On-Tees

What is Hilton Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Hilton Primary Academy is Outstanding, from an inspection in October 2025.

When was Hilton Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Hilton Primary Academy was last inspected in October 2025.

How many pupils does Hilton Primary Academy have?

Hilton Primary Academy has 415 pupils on roll.

What age range does Hilton Primary Academy cover?

Hilton Primary Academy for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Hilton Primary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Hilton Primary Academy?

Hilton Primary Academy is at Hilton Avenue, Blakelaw, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE5 3RN.