Ward Jackson Church of England Primary School

Ward Jackson Church of England Primary School is a small, highly inclusive school where care and belonging are central. Inspectors found that pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities, are known well and supported effectively, and that the school’s personal development and wellbeing programme and enrichment offer are particular strengths. Safeguarding arrangements meet requirements, and behaviour and attitudes are very positive. Overall, pupils make steady progress and attain broadly in line with national averages by the end of key stage 2, with disadvantaged pupils achieving in line with or above their peers nationally in the latest outcomes. The curriculum is broad, well sequenced and prioritises reading and mathematics, and early years provision gives children a positive start. Leadership and governance are effective, and staff and parents are positive about the school. Areas for improvement remain. Attendance has improved but is still above national averages, including persistent absence, and leaders should continue work to secure consistently high attendance. Teaching is not always adapted to deepen and extend learning for pupils capable of working at a high standard, and outcomes at the key stage 2 higher standard in English and mathematics are not as positive as leaders aspire to. The school is part of the Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning Trust and serves a community with high levels of disadvantage and SEND.

Strengths

• Highly inclusive culture where all pupils are known, valued and supported
• Quick and accurate identification of SEND, disadvantage and vulnerability
• Strategic use of pupil premium and additional funding to remove barriers
• Strong personal development and wellbeing programme
• Varied and purposeful enrichment through the 'Ward Jackson Experience'
• Strong pastoral care and tailored emotional support
• Calm, orderly and respectful environment with very high behaviour expectations
• Pupils are attentive, engaged and enthusiastic learners
• Attendance strategy is effective and overall attendance is rising
• Broad, balanced and well-sequenced curriculum from early years to key stage 2
• Prioritisation of reading, writing, spelling and mathematics
• Well-trained staff and effective support in early reading and phonics
• Effective leadership and governance with strong trust oversight
• High-quality professional development and good staff morale
• Positive relationships with parents and carers
• Disadvantaged pupils achieved in line with or above national peers in latest outcomes

Areas for Improvement

• Teaching is not consistently adapted to deepen and extend knowledge for pupils capable of working at a high standard
• Outcomes at the key stage 2 higher standard in English and mathematics are not as positive as leaders aspire to
• Overall absence and persistent absence remain above national averages, although improving
• Leaders should continue work to secure consistently high attendance for all groups

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 Ward Jackson Church of England Primary School attended 93.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 18.8% 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, 2.0% of pupils at Ward Jackson Church of England Primary 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 Ward Jackson Church of England Primary School had 18.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 30.6% 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, 37.2% of pupils at Ward Jackson Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 7.1% 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 Ward Jackson Church of England Primary School received £11,931 and spent £11,435 for each of its 92 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £8,000 (£91 per pupil).

Across all 21 schools of Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning Trust, income was £7,271 and spending £7,125 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.

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• Secondary Schools

All schools in Hartlepool · Hartlepool local authority: places and applications

Ward Jackson Church of England Primary School is part of Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning Trust, which runs 22 schools. The nearest others:

• St Aidan's Church of England Memorial Primary School Hartlepool
• Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School Hartlepool
• Holy Trinity Rosehill CofE Primary School Stockton-On-Tees
• Bishopton Redmarshall CofE Primary School Bishopton
• St Mary's Church of England Primary School Stockton-On-Tees
• Egglescliffe Church of England Primary School Stockton-On-Tees
• St. George's Church of England Academy
• St John's Church of England Academy Darlington
• Heighington Church of England Primary School Newton Aycliffe
• Northern Saints Church of England Academy Sunderland

What is Ward Jackson Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ward Jackson Church of England Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in February 2026.

When was Ward Jackson Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Ward Jackson Church of England Primary School was last inspected in February 2026.

How many pupils does Ward Jackson Church of England Primary School have?

Ward Jackson Church of England Primary School has 113 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ward Jackson Church of England Primary School cover?

Ward Jackson Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Ward Jackson Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 70% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Ward Jackson Church of England Primary School?

Ward Jackson Church of England Primary School is at Clark Street, Hartlepool, County Durham, TS24 7LE.