Hebburn Lakes Primary School

About Hebburn Lakes Primary School

Hebburn Lakes Primary School is a state-funded mixed primary in South Tyneside, and its intake data tells a clear story about the community it serves. The school currently has 462 pupils on roll, which is 42 above its official capacity of 420, so it is genuinely full and then some. That demand is reflected in admissions for the 2025/26 intake: the school received 93 applications for just 50 places, with 46 of those coming as first preferences, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.86. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 44.3%, which is notably high — well above the national average for primary schools and a strong indicator of the area's socioeconomic profile. This is a school that is clearly popular with local families, but also one that is operating under significant capacity pressure, with more children than it was originally designed to accommodate.

Academically, the picture is more mixed. In its most recent graded inspection back in 2014, Ofsted rated the school Good overall, with Good for both leadership and management and overall effectiveness. An ungraded inspection in May 2023 confirmed that the school remains Good, so there is stability in leadership under headteacher Amanda Moody. However, the Key Stage 2 results for 2023/24 show that only 39% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — well below the South Tyneside local authority average of 64%. The school ranks 36th out of 37 primary schools in the borough on this metric, placing it in the bottom 3% locally and the bottom 9% nationally. Individual subject scores are more varied: 67% reached the expected standard in writing, compared with 44% in maths and 61% in reading, but the proportion reaching the higher standard in any subject is low — just 3% across all three.

On the practical side, Hebburn Lakes offers a decent range of facilities for a primary, including a sports hall, playing fields, music rooms, a sensory room and even a chapel. The school runs a broad set of clubs — drama, choir, chess, film club, gardening and eco club — and pupils can take part in athletics, dance, cross country, cricket and rounders. SEND provision is well-documented, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, autistic spectrum disorder, and a resourced provision. There is also nursery provision for children from age three. This is a school that suits families who value a strong pastoral and SEND offer and who are comfortable with a genuinely inclusive, high-needs intake. The oversubscription suggests it is a first choice for many local parents, but the academic outcomes are significantly below the LA average, so it may not be the right fit for those prioritising high KS2 scores. The nearest outstanding-rated school is St Aloysius Catholic Junior School Academy, 1.3 km away.

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