Mickley First School

Mickley First School, which has not been previously inspected under the current framework, is performing well overall, achieving a 'Good' rating across all areas considered. The school has cultivated a strong sense of community and inclusion, creating a welcoming and supportive environment for pupils and their families. Leaders are implementing a broad curriculum that aligns with national expectations, and staff have maintained high expectations for pupil achievements, leading to positive learning outcomes. There is a commitment to developing pupils' literacy skills, with a particular emphasis on reading, which is positively reflected in pupils' fluency by the time they leave the school.

Strengths

• Strong community and inclusive environment
• High expectations for pupil achievement
• Effective reading and phonics teaching
• Positive behavior and attitudes from most pupils
• Strong leadership support from the trust
• Effective identification and support for SEND pupils
• Well-planned early years provision

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent behavior expectations from staff
• Some curriculum plans not sufficiently personalized
• Opportunities for extending pupil discussions missed

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 Mickley First School attended 95.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.9% 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 Mickley 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 Mickley First School had 15.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 51.2% 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, 14.8% of pupils at Mickley First School 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 Mickley First School received £9,618 and spent £9,642 for each of its 60 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £27,000 (£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

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

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

What is Mickley First School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Mickley First School is Good, from an inspection in March 2024.

When was Mickley First School last inspected by Ofsted?

Mickley First School was last inspected in March 2024.

How many pupils does Mickley First School have?

Mickley First School has 61 pupils on roll.

What age range does Mickley First School cover?

Mickley First School for pupils aged 2 to 9.

Where is Mickley First School?

Mickley First School is at Mickley, West Road, Stocksfield, Northumberland, NE43 7BG.