Greenside Primary School

About Greenside Primary School

Greenside Primary School is a state primary in Gateshead that currently teaches 174 pupils against a capacity of 210, meaning it has room to grow but is clearly in high demand. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 67 applications for just 24 places, with 23 of those going to first-preference families — an oversubscription ratio of 2.79. That level of competition suggests local parents see it as a strong option. The school’s intake is notably diverse in terms of disadvantage: 25.3% of pupils qualify for free school meals, which is well above the national average of around 23% and significantly higher than the Gateshead average for primary schools. This isn’t a school serving a uniformly affluent catchment; it’s drawing from a broad mix of backgrounds. Headteacher Dawn Foster leads a non-denominational, mixed-gender primary that also offers nursery provision for children from age three, making it a natural choice for families looking for a single setting from early years through to Year 6.

Academically, Greenside is one of the strongest primaries in Gateshead. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 80% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — well above the local authority average of 64%. The school ranks 9th out of 61 primaries in Gateshead, placing it in the top 15% of the borough and the top 25% nationally. Individual subject scores are equally impressive: 95% of pupils hit the expected standard in reading, 90% in writing and 90% in maths, with average scaled scores of 108 in reading and 106 in maths. The proportion achieving the higher standard is more modest — 20% in reading and maths, 10% in writing and 10% across all three — but the school’s strength is clearly in getting the vast majority of children securely to the expected level. Ofsted’s most recent inspection in January 2024 rated the school Outstanding across every category, including early years provision, personal development, behaviour and leadership — a clean sweep of top grades.

The school is well equipped for a primary of its size, with facilities including a library, sports hall, gymnasium, playing fields, an outdoor playground and an ICT suite. It also runs a Forest School and a sensory room, which suggests a thoughtful approach to both outdoor learning and SEND support. Indeed, the school has formal SEND provisions for pupils with specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health challenges, and autistic spectrum disorder — a broad offer for a small school. Clubs include chess, coding, gardening, science, book club and film club, while sports provision covers gymnastics, cross country, dance and athletics. For families who value strong academic outcomes in a genuinely mixed-intake setting, and who want a school that’s clearly popular enough to be oversubscribed, Greenside is a compelling choice. The nearest other Outstanding-rated primary is St Mary & St Thomas Aquinas in Blaydon, about 3.9 km away, so for many local families this will be the top-rated option within easy reach.

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