Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Willington

Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School in Willington is performing well overall, classified as 'Good' in its first inspection since the pandemic. The school fosters a friendly and inclusive environment where pupils enjoy their lessons and demonstrate exemplary behaviour. The staff's commitment to creating a positive school culture is evident as they actively engage with students regarding their concerns and involve them in decision-making. Leadership within the school is strong, supported by the Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust, which plays a significant role in monitoring and assisting the school’s operations.

Strengths

• Pupils exhibit exceptional behaviour and positive attitudes towards learning.
• The curriculum is well planned and effectively broken down into manageable sections.
• Teachers demonstrate secure subject knowledge and utilize resources effectively.
• Reading is prioritized, with initiatives to promote literacy throughout the school.
• Strong relationships exist between staff and pupils, contributing to a supportive atmosphere.
• Leaders care for staff well-being and provide high levels of support.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistencies in the delivery of phonics lessons that affect early readers.
• Support plans for pupils with SEND are often unclear and not well matched to their needs.

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 Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Willington attended 95.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.7% 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, 0.8% of pupils at Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Willington 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 Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Willington had 19.9 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, 24.6% of pupils at Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Willington were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.6% 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 Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Willington received £7,673 and spent £8,053 for each of its 120 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £51,000 (£424 per pupil).

Across all 35 schools of Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust, income was £7,699 and spending £7,759 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 Crook · County Durham local authority: places and applications

Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Willington is part of Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust, which runs 35 schools. The nearest others:

• St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Crook Crook
• St Chad's Catholic Primary School, Witton Park Bishop Auckland
• St Charles' Catholic Primary School, Tudhoe Spennymoor
• St John's Catholic School & Sixth Form College Bishop Auckland
• St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School, Bishop Auckland Bishop Auckland
• St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Coundon Bishop Auckland
• Blessed John Duckett Catholic Primary School, Tow Law Bishop Auckland
• St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Newton Aycliffe
• St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Newton Aycliffe Newton Aycliffe
• St William's Catholic Primary School Trimdon Station

What is Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Willington's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Willington is Good, from an inspection in December 2023.

When was Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Willington last inspected by Ofsted?

Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Willington was last inspected in December 2023.

How many pupils does Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Willington have?

Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Willington has 122 pupils on roll.

What age range does Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Willington cover?

Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Willington for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Willington's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 50% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Willington?

Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Willington is at Cumberland Terrace, Willington, Crook, County Durham, DL15 0PB.