Fens Primary School

About Fens Primary School

Fens Primary School sits within the Hartlepool local authority, a mixed state primary for children aged 3 to 11. It is currently ranked third out of 26 primary schools in the area, placing it comfortably in the top 25% nationally. The two schools above it in the local rankings are St John Vianney Catholic Primary School and Hart Primary School, both of which score higher on the same metric. Throston Primary School follows closely behind in fourth. Fens is also one of only a handful of schools in Hartlepool that have achieved a Good rating from Ofsted, with just two primaries in the authority rated Outstanding overall. The nearest of those, Stranton Primary School, is about three kilometres away. Headteacher Christopher Connor leads a school that is noticeably oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, 130 families applied for 57 places, and 56 of those offers went to first-preference applicants, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.28.

Academically, Fens performs well above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 79% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Hartlepool average of 68%. The school also saw strong results in individual subjects: 93% met the expected standard in maths, 89% in writing and 79% in reading. At the higher standard, 32% of pupils achieved above the expected level in maths, 28% in reading and 18% in writing. The average scaled scores were 107 in maths and 105 in reading, both above the national benchmark of 100. Ofsted’s most recent graded inspection, in March 2018, rated the school Good overall, with leadership and management, early years provision and the quality of education all judged Good. A subsequent ungraded inspection in May 2023 confirmed that the school continues to be Good.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a library, sports hall, playing fields, an ICT suite, music rooms and a forest school area. Sports on offer include athletics, cricket, swimming, gymnastics, cross country and rounders, while clubs extend to drama, book club, gardening and choir. Fens also provides nursery provision for younger children. Its SEND support covers specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, physical disabilities and other difficulties. With 19.8% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake. Given its strong local reputation, oversubscribed admissions and solid academic outcomes, Fens is a strong choice for Hartlepool families seeking a well-regarded state primary with good facilities and a clear focus on core skills.

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