Browney Primary Academy

Browney Primary Academy continues to demonstrate a good standard of education, with a noteworthy emphasis on the well-being and personal development of its pupils. The school has successfully fostered a positive learning environment where pupils feel safe, happy, and well-supported by dedicated staff. High expectations for behavior and a range of pupil responsibilities contribute to the school's vibrant community; however, the school faces challenges with new pupils transferring from various educational backgrounds, which has created gaps in some students' learning. Leaders are actively working to address these gaps and maintain a strong curriculum as the school grows.

Strengths

• Pupils report feeling happy and safe at school.
• Strong relationships between staff and pupils promote a positive learning culture.
• Effective support systems are in place for pupils, including those with SEND.
• High expectations for behavior lead to a calm and orderly environment.
• Passionate subject leaders actively monitor and develop their areas.
• Early years provision supports children's confidence and learning effectively.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils have gaps in their learning due to transferring from different schools.
• Teachers are at varying stages in implementing the new curriculum.

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 Browney Primary Academy attended 96.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.2% 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, 0.5% of pupils at Browney 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 Browney Primary Academy had 19.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.6% 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, 11.6% of pupils at Browney Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.3% 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 Browney Primary Academy received £7,313 and spent £6,962 for each of its 184 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £305,000 (£1,656 per pupil).

Across all 13 schools of North East Learning Trust, income was £8,623 and spending £8,502 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 County Durham · County Durham local authority: places and applications

Browney Primary Academy is part of North East Learning Trust, which runs 15 schools. The nearest others:

• Sacriston Academy Durham
• Hermitage Academy Chester Le Street
• The Academy at Shotton Hall Peterlee
• Biddick Academy Washington
• Easington Academy Peterlee
• Diamond Hall Junior Academy Sunderland
• Carville Academy Wallsend
• Teesdale School and Sixth Form Barnard Castle
• Churchill Academy Wallsend
• Middleton-In-Teesdale Academy Barnard Castle

What is Browney Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Browney Primary Academy is Good, from an inspection in December 2022.

When was Browney Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Browney Primary Academy was last inspected in December 2022.

How many pupils does Browney Primary Academy have?

Browney Primary Academy has 181 pupils on roll.

What age range does Browney Primary Academy cover?

Browney Primary Academy for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 71% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Browney Primary Academy?

Browney Primary Academy is at Harle Street, Browney, County Durham, DH7 8HX.