Stakeford Primary School

About Stakeford Primary School

Stakeford Primary School is a state primary in Northumberland that currently educates 170 pupils against a total capacity of 210, meaning there is room to grow. The school serves a community with significant economic disadvantage: 38.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is notably higher than the national average of around 23% and places it among the more challenged intakes in the local authority. Despite this, demand for places is strong. For the 2025/26 admissions cycle, the school received 13 total applications for just 8 available places, with all 8 first-preference applicants offered a spot. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 1.63, a clear signal that local families are actively choosing Stakeford. The school is non-denominational, with no religious character, and offers nursery provision for children from age 2, making it a practical option for families seeking an early start in a single setting.

Academically, Stakeford’s most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2024 rated it Good across every category: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This is consistent with its previous Good rating from 2017. At Key Stage 2, 44% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the Northumberland local authority average of 56%. However, the school’s average scaled scores in reading and maths both sit at 102, exactly the national benchmark. In reading, 72% of pupils reached the expected standard, and 61% did so in maths and writing. Higher-standard attainment is low, with 17% reaching the higher bar in maths and 11% in reading, and none in writing. Nationally, Stakeford ranks in the bottom 50% of primary schools, placing 46th out of 58 in Northumberland and in the 87th percentile nationally.

The school is well equipped with facilities including a gymnasium, library, playing fields, sensory room, art studios, music rooms, sports hall, ICT suite and even a chapel. Sports provision is broad, with cricket, athletics, dance, tennis, gymnastics, football and netball on offer, alongside clubs such as art, gardening, eco and film club. For children with additional needs, the school lists specific support for dyslexia, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication difficulties, and physical disabilities. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary is Bothal Primary School, two kilometres away. Stakeford is a solid, well-regarded local option for families in the Ashington area who value a Good-rated school with strong early years provision, a wide range of facilities, and a clear commitment to supporting disadvantaged pupils, even if its academic outcomes sit below the LA average.

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