Dene House Primary School
About Dene House Primary School
Dene House Primary School in County Durham is a state primary for mixed-gender pupils aged 5 to 11, and its intake tells a clear story about the community it serves. With 301 pupils on roll against a capacity of 315, the school is running very close to full, and the demand is real: for the 2025/26 admissions cycle, the school received 70 applications for 42 places, making it officially oversubscribed with a ratio of 1.67 applicants per spot. Every single first-preference applicant — all 41 of them — was offered a place, which suggests strong local loyalty. The pupil body is notably diverse in terms of disadvantage: 56.5% of children are eligible for free school meals, a figure far above the national average and a clear signal that this school serves a high-needs catchment. The school has no religious character and no nursery provision, so it draws its cohort entirely from the primary-age population in the area.
Key Details
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 EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
8 Mar 2022Source: Ofsted, 17 May 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
7Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
School day
Teaching hours
08:35 – 15:15
Breakfast club
08:00-08:35
After-school care
15:15-17:15
Source: denehouse-pri.durham.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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