Whittonstall First School

Whittonstall First School is performing well across all aspects, with an overall effectiveness grade of 'Good'. The school fosters a warm atmosphere and places a strong emphasis on inclusion, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have high expectations for all students, and recent curriculum improvements in subjects like reading and mathematics have had a positive impact on pupil engagement and learning outcomes. This is the school's first Ofsted inspection, and the leaders' efforts to create a positive learning environment are evident.

Strengths

• Strong, warm, and welcoming school ethos
• High expectations for all pupils, including those with SEND
• Effective curriculum implementation in reading and mathematics
• Strong emphasis on staff training and development
• Pupils demonstrate positive behavior and attitudes towards learning
• Good pupil participation in leadership roles and responsibilities
• Effective support for early reading through a well-implemented phonics scheme
• Rich opportunities for personal development and outdoor learning experiences

Areas for Improvement

• Lack of clarity in learning sequences for some foundation subjects such as physical education

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 Whittonstall First School attended 95.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.3% 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 Whittonstall 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 Whittonstall First School had 18.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 66.7% 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, 13.4% of pupils at Whittonstall First School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.5% 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 Whittonstall First School received £8,122 and spent £8,126 for each of its 75 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £34,000 (£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 Consett · County Durham local authority: places and applications

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

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

What is Whittonstall First School's Ofsted rating?

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

When was Whittonstall First School last inspected by Ofsted?

Whittonstall First School was last inspected in February 2023.

How many pupils does Whittonstall First School have?

Whittonstall First School has 67 pupils on roll.

What age range does Whittonstall First School cover?

Whittonstall First School for pupils aged 3 to 9.

Where is Whittonstall First School?

Whittonstall First School is at Whittonstall, Consett, County Durham, DH8 9JN.