Archibald First School

About Archibald First School

Archibald First School is a state primary for children aged 3 to 9 in Newcastle upon Tyne, and it is clearly a popular choice among local families. The school has a capacity of 352 pupils and currently enrols 331, leaving a small number of spare places. However, the demand is far higher than supply: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 295 applications for just 60 places, with 95 of those applications coming from families who listed it as their first preference. That works out at nearly five applications for every available spot. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals sits at 7.5%, which is notably lower than the national average and suggests a relatively affluent intake. The school is led by headteacher Rebecca Turner and has no religious character, so it draws from a broad cross-section of the local community rather than a specific faith group.

Academically, Archibald First School has a strong recent track record. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in April 2025 rated the overall effectiveness as not judged, but the breakdown is revealing: early years provision, personal development, and behaviour and attitudes were all judged outstanding, while quality of education and leadership and management were rated good. This is a step down from its previous inspection in 2015, when the school was judged outstanding overall, but the current picture remains very positive. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly supportive, with 97% of respondents saying they would recommend the school. On specific questions, 80% strongly agreed that their child is happy, and 83% strongly agreed that their child feels safe. The school’s local authority average for Key Stage 2 attainment is 63%, and while Archibald’s own KS2 results are not provided in this data, the Ofsted grades and parent satisfaction levels suggest solid academic foundations.

The school offers a range of facilities including a Forest School, library, music rooms, art studios, and a dining hall, plus a chapel on site. Sports provision covers cricket, gymnastics, rounders, athletics, netball, and cross country, while clubs include drama, choir, chess, and coding. For children with additional needs, the school lists support for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. With a nursery on site, it suits families looking for continuity from early years through to Year 4. The oversubscription ratio of 4.92 means that anyone considering Archibald should definitely put it as their first preference and be prepared for a competitive admissions process. It is a good fit for families who value strong pastoral care and a broad enrichment offer alongside solid academic expectations.

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