Haltwhistle Primary Academy

Haltwhistle Primary Academy has received its first inspection since becoming an academy and has been rated as outstanding across all areas. The school fosters an inspiring environment where pupils thrive academically and socially, demonstrating exemplary behaviour and a strong sense of community. The leadership team has effectively raised expectations and implemented a creative curriculum that engages students and meets their diverse needs, including those of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Despite challenges faced by the school, such as previous closures and events like the COVID-19 pandemic, the commitment to providing an excellent education remains unwavering.

Strengths

• Exceptional behaviour and attitudes among pupils.
• A creative and dynamic curriculum that excites pupils.
• Strong support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.
• Effective leadership with a clear vision for outstanding education.
• Well-implemented reading curriculum that promotes confident readers.
• Pupils' personal development is prioritized and well-addressed.
• Positive involvement of pupils in school life and responsibilities.

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 Haltwhistle Primary Academy attended 95.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.7% 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 Haltwhistle 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 Haltwhistle Primary Academy had 15.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.9% 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, 21.6% of pupils at Haltwhistle Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.6% 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 Haltwhistle Primary Academy received £8,764 and spent £8,797 for each of its 192 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £207,000 (£1,078 per pupil).

Across all 16 schools of Wise Academies, income was £8,327 and spending £8,361 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 Northumberland · Northumberland local authority: places and applications

Haltwhistle Primary Academy is part of Wise Academies, which runs 18 schools. The nearest others:

• Shaftoe Trust Academy Hexham
• Prudhoe West Academy Prudhoe
• Adderlane Academy Prudhoe
• Esh Winning Academy Durham
• Welbeck Academy Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
• Bothal Academy Ashington
• Central Academy Ashington
• Morpeth Road Academy Blyth
• St Andrew's Academy Bishop Auckland
• Malvin's Close Academy Blyth

What is Haltwhistle Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Haltwhistle Primary Academy is Outstanding, from an inspection in March 2023.

When was Haltwhistle Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Haltwhistle Primary Academy was last inspected in March 2023.

How many pupils does Haltwhistle Primary Academy have?

Haltwhistle Primary Academy has 213 pupils on roll.

What age range does Haltwhistle Primary Academy cover?

Haltwhistle Primary Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 72% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Haltwhistle Primary Academy?

Haltwhistle Primary Academy is at Park Avenue, Haltwhistle, NE49 9BA.