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Montalbo Nursery & Primary School

County Durham, DL12 8TNPrimaryAges 3–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Outstanding
Jan 2023
KS2 Results
100%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
1.4×
Oversubscribed
41 1st-choice / 30 places
Ranking
🏆Top 5%
#32 of 13,686 nationally

About Montalbo Nursery & Primary School

Montalbo Nursery & Primary School sits in County Durham, a local authority where it is ranked first out of 170 primary schools, placing it firmly at the top of the local landscape. It is one of only eight schools in the authority to hold an Outstanding rating from Ofsted, a distinction that sets it apart from the vast majority of its 208 same-type peers. The school’s closest competitors in the local rankings are Cestria Primary School, Shincliffe CofE (Controlled) Primary School, and Thornhill Primary School, each with a ranking score of 93. Montalbo’s top-tier position reflects a consistent pattern of strong performance, and its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 awarded the school Outstanding across every category, including quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management. This is a notable upgrade from its previous Good rating in 2015, and the school’s early years provision also jumped from a 2 to an Outstanding 1 in the same period.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range3 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressFairfield Road, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 8TN
HeadteacherChristopher Minikin
Local AuthorityCounty Durham
Number of Pupils242
Free School Meals (FSM)12.9%
School Capacity242 / 210 (115% 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

11 Jan 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of Education
Outstanding
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Early Years Provision
Outstanding

Source: Ofsted, 8 Mar 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

5
ICT SuiteLibraryPlaying FieldsGymnasiumChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

8

Sports

CricketAthleticsNetballCross Country

Clubs & Activities

Book ClubEco ClubGardeningScience Club

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

SEND Support

DyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageVisionPhysicalLearning Difficulty

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:55 – 15:15

Breakfast club

07:45-08:30

After-school care

15:15-17:30

Source: montalbo.durham.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Montalbo Nursery & Primary School

Montalbo Nursery & Primary School has been rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted. This means the school provides an exceptional quality of education, and pupils thrive both academically and personally.