Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School

About Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School is a state-funded primary in County Durham that currently educates 218 pupils against a capacity of 315, meaning it operates well below its maximum intake. The school serves a community with a notably high level of disadvantage: 47.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is significantly above the national average and suggests a catchment with considerable socio-economic challenges. Despite this, demand for places is strong. For the 2025/26 admissions cycle, the school received 32 applications for just 16 places, making it oversubscribed by a ratio of 2:1. Of those applications, 15 were first-preference choices, and 15 first-preference offers were made, indicating that nearly all families who put the school first were successful. The school has a Roman Catholic religious character and offers nursery provision for children from age two, as well as a range of SEND support including for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities.

Academically, the school performs solidly above the local authority average. At Key Stage 2 in 2023/24, 71% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a County Durham average of 62%. This places the school 52nd out of 170 primary schools in the local authority, putting it in the top 50% of its peers. In individual subjects, 82% met the expected standard in reading, 78% in writing and 78% in maths. Higher-standard attainment was more modest: 16% achieved the higher standard across all three subjects, with 27% reaching that level in reading and 29% in writing. Average scaled scores were 106 in reading and 105 in maths. Ofsted’s most recent inspection in April 2023 rated the school Good overall, with leadership and management judged Outstanding. All other categories — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and early years provision — were rated Good.

The school’s facilities include a dining hall, library, outdoor playground, sensory room and chapel, and it offers a broad range of sports such as athletics, netball, swimming, gymnastics, rounders, cricket and cross country. Clubs include art, film, science and drama. SEND provision is a clear strength, with support for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, visual impairment, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. For families seeking a Catholic primary with a strong sense of community and a track record of supporting pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, Our Lady of the Rosary is a popular choice — oversubscribed but with a high success rate for first-preference applicants. Its above-average KS2 outcomes and Good Ofsted rating make it a reliable option within County Durham’s primary landscape.

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