Wylam First School

Wylam First School has performed well in its first Ofsted inspection, achieving a 'Good' overall rating with several outstanding aspects. Key strengths include the quality of early years provision, behaviour and attitudes of pupils, and their personal development. The school is deeply embedded in the local community, fostering a safe and positive environment where pupils are encouraged to thrive both academically and personally. The curriculum is ambitious and well-designed to meet the needs of all students, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Strengths

• Outstanding behaviour and attitudes among pupils
• High-quality early years provision that promotes independence
• Ambitious curriculum designed to meet the needs of all pupils
• Effective teaching in reading supported by well-trained staff
• Strong commitment to environmental sustainability and community involvement

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent checks on the implementation of the curriculum across some subjects

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 Wylam First School attended 97.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 1.1% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Wylam First 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 Wylam First School had 16.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 6.3% 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, 9.2% of pupils at Wylam First School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.1% 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 Wylam First School received £7,066 and spent £6,880 for each of its 141 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £65,000 (£459 per pupil).

Across all 18 schools of Cheviot Learning Trust, income was £7,854 and spending £7,859 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

Wylam First School is part of Cheviot Learning Trust, which runs 18 schools. The nearest others:

• Prudhoe Community High School Prudhoe
• Highfield Middle School Prudhoe
• Prudhoe Castle First School Prudhoe
• Ovingham Church of England First School Prudhoe
• Ovingham Middle School Prudhoe
• Mickley First School Stocksfield
• Broomley First School Stocksfield
• Whittonstall First School Consett
• Abbeyfields First School Morpeth
• Morpeth Stobhillgate First School Morpeth

What is Wylam First School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Wylam First School is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.

When was Wylam First School last inspected by Ofsted?

Wylam First School was last inspected in November 2023.

How many pupils does Wylam First School have?

Wylam First School has 131 pupils on roll.

What age range does Wylam First School cover?

Wylam First School for pupils aged 3 to 9.

Where is Wylam First School?

Wylam First School is at Bell Road, Wylam, Northumberland, NE41 8EH.