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Butterknowle Primary School

County Durham, DL13 5PBPrimaryAges 3–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Requires Improvement
Apr 2026
KS2 Results
22%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
3 1st-choice / 3 places
Ranking
#13,519
of 13,686 nationally

About Butterknowle Primary School

Butterknowle Primary School’s most recent Ofsted inspection, carried out in September 2023, rated the school as Requires Improvement overall, a downgrade from its previous Good rating in 2013. The inspection found that while pupils’ personal development and behaviour and attitudes are both Good, the quality of education, early years provision, and leadership and management all require improvement. The most telling academic metric is the Key Stage 2 combined reading, writing and maths expected standard: just 22% of pupils reached this benchmark in the 2023/24 academic year. That is dramatically below the County Durham local authority average of 62%, placing the school 168th out of 170 primary schools in the area. Nationally, it sits in the bottom 1% of schools on this measure, with a ranking score of 22 out of a possible 100.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range3 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressPinfold Lane, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL13 5PB
HeadteacherSarah Hodgkinson and Richard Sains (Co Executive Headteachers)
Local AuthorityCounty Durham
Number of Pupils50
Free School Meals (FSM)26.0%
School Capacity50 / 84 (60% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

27 Sept 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Requires improvement
Early Years Provision
Requires improvement

Source: Ofsted, 16 Nov 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

5
Outdoor PlaygroundSports HallLibraryPlaying FieldsChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

9

Sports

DanceAthleticsGymnasticsCricketCross Country

Clubs & Activities

Eco ClubFilm ClubDramaBook Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismMental HealthLearning Difficulty

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Butterknowle Primary School

Butterknowle Primary School has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.