Whale Hill Primary School
About Whale Hill Primary School
Whale Hill Primary School is a larger-than-average state primary in Redcar and Cleveland, currently home to 465 pupils against a capacity of 530. That leaves some headroom, but the school is clearly in demand: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 63 applications for 58 places, with 57 of those coming as first preferences. The oversubscription ratio sits at 1.09, meaning the school is just slightly over-applied. What really stands out is the intake profile: 54.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is well above the national average and signals a community with significant economic disadvantage. The school serves a mixed cohort, with nursery provision available from age three, and it operates as a non-religious, mixed-gender institution under the Redcar and Cleveland local authority. Headteacher Sandra Marsden leads a team that has held a Good Ofsted rating since its most recent inspection in 2021, a drop from the Outstanding grade awarded back in 2006.
Key Details
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 EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
19 Oct 2021Source: Ofsted, 5 Dec 2021. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
7Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:10
Source: whalehillprimary.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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