This schoolOther primary schools in County Durham
What did Ofsted find?
Ofsted data to 30 September 2026| Area | Outstanding | Good | Requires improvement | Inadequate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good | |||
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good | |||
| Personal development | Outstanding | |||
| Leadership and management | Good | |||
| Early years provision | Good |
Inspection history
- 12 November 2024Ungraded inspection: Standards maintained
- 27 November 2019Graded inspection: Good · as St Mary's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, Barnard Castle, URN 114261
Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades
About these grades
Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.
How hard is it to get a place?
DfE · Sept 2026 entry43 applications · 14 places offered · 11 named it first
FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.
- 2026 3.1; County Durham median median 1.9
- 2025 3.0; County Durham median median 1.8
- 2024 2.8; County Durham median median 1.8
- 2023 1.9; County Durham median median 1.9
- 2022 2.1; County Durham median median 1.9; as the previous school
- 2021 5.0; County Durham median median 1.9; as the previous school
- 2020 5.0; County Durham median median 1.9; as the previous school
- 2019 2.0; County Durham median median 2.0; as the previous school
- 2018 2.6; County Durham median median 1.9; as the previous school
- 2017 2.1; County Durham median median 1.9; as the previous school
- 2016 2.1; County Durham median median 1.5; as the previous school
- 2015 1.9; County Durham median median 1.6; as the previous school
- 2014 2.6; County Durham median median 1.6; as the previous school
- This school
- County Durham median
Dashed bars: as St Mary's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, Barnard Castle (URN 114261), the previous school.
Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council
How this is measured
Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.
| Entry | Places | Applications | Per place | First preferences | First-pref. ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 14 | 43 | 3.1 | 11 | 0.79 |
| Sep 2025 | 13 | 39 | 3.0 | 12 | 0.92 |
| Sep 2024 | 9 | 25 | 2.8 | 8 | 0.89 |
| Sep 2023 | 10 | 19 | 1.9 | 10 | 1.00 |
| Sep 2022 * | 13 | 27 | 2.1 | 13 | 1.00 |
| Sep 2021 * | 3 | 15 | 5.0 | 3 | 1.00 |
| Sep 2020 * | 3 | 15 | 5.0 | 3 | 1.00 |
| Sep 2019 * | 15 | 30 | 2.0 | 15 | 1.00 |
| Sep 2018 * | 15 | 39 | 2.6 | 21 | 1.40 |
| Sep 2017 * | 15 | 31 | 2.1 | 15 | 1.00 |
| Sep 2016 * | 14 | 29 | 2.1 | 14 | 1.00 |
| Sep 2015 * | 11 | 21 | 1.9 | 11 | 1.00 |
| Sep 2014 * | 15 | 39 | 2.6 | 21 | 1.40 |
How did pupils do in SATs?
DfE KS2 · 2024/25Reading 94% · Writing 88% · Maths 94% → all three 81% met the expected standard, End of Year 6
- This school
- County Durham median
- England median
Every year as a table
| Year | Expected standard | Higher standard | Reading score | Maths score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 81% | 31% | 111 | 109 |
| 2023/24 | 75% | 19% | 106 | 105 |
| 2022/23 | 92% | 33% | 109 | 105 |
Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.
Schools nearby
The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority
- St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Barnard CastleThis schoolThis schoolStandards maintained20243.1applications per place 81%met the SATs standard
- 0.7 km · County DurhamOutstanding20232.2applications per place 85%met the SATs standard
- 0.8 km · County DurhamRemains Good20232.3applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
- 5.1 km · County DurhamGood20241.6applications per place 40%met the SATs standard
- 6.7 km · County Durham20262.0applications per place
- 9.0 km · County DurhamGood20231.6applications per place 84%met the SATs standard
- 10.3 km · County DurhamGood20241.2applications per place
- 10.5 km · County DurhamGood20231.4applications per place 88%met the SATs standard
- 10.9 km · County Durham20262.0applications per place 29%met the SATs standard
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
- Does not apply
Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.
School details
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Primary
- URN · DfE number
- 149058 · 840/3461
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Capacity
- 105 pupils · 103 on roll
- Free school meals
- 21.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Nursery
- Has nursery classes
- Opened
- 1 May 2022
- Replaced
- St Mary's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, Barnard Castle (URN 114261)
- Address
- Birch Road, Barnard Castle, DL12 8JR
- Local authority
- County Durham
Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources