Simonside Primary School

About Simonside Primary School

Simonside Primary School is a popular choice among local families, with 32 of 33 places offered to first-preference applicants in the 2025/26 admissions round and a total of 52 applications for those spots, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.58. That level of demand suggests parents who know the school well are keen to secure a place. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in January 2020, confirmed it remains Good, building on its previous graded Good rating from April 2016. Before that, the school had been rated Requires Improvement in 2014, so the trajectory has been positive. With 297 pupils on roll against a capacity of 315, the school is running close to full, and its nursery provision means children can join from age three. The headteacher, Emma Hills, leads a school where 66.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average, reflecting the community it serves.

Academically, Simonside sits within Newcastle upon Tyne local authority, where the average Key Stage 2 attainment score is 63. The school’s own KS2 results are not provided in the data, but its Ofsted leadership and management and overall effectiveness grades of Good suggest solid foundations. The early years provision was also rated Good in the 2016 graded inspection. Compared with the local picture, where only 8 of 72 primary schools are rated Outstanding, Simonside’s Good rating places it in the majority of schools in the area that are performing well. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary is Hilton Primary Academy, 1.9 km away, which may be a consideration for families weighing options. The school’s Progress 8 measure is not available, so it is not possible to compare pupil progress directly with the LA average, but the oversubscription figures indicate that local parents are confident in what the school offers.

The school provides a broad range of facilities including an ICT suite, art studios, music rooms, a sports hall, gymnasium, playing fields, and even a chapel, which is unusual for a non-religious community school. Sports on offer include athletics, dance, cricket, cross country, swimming, netball, and rounders, and there are clubs such as book club, drama, choir, and film club. For children with additional needs, Simonside has dedicated SEND provisions covering moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health, speech language and communication, and visual impairment. This makes it a practical choice for families whose children need targeted support within a mainstream setting. Given its strong local demand, Good Ofsted rating, and comprehensive facilities, Simonside is best suited to families in the Newcastle upon Tyne area who want a well-established primary with nursery provision and a clear record of improvement.

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