Whinstone Primary School

About Whinstone Primary School

Whinstone Primary School is a state-funded mixed primary in Stockton-on-Tees with 468 pupils on roll against a capacity of 498, meaning it runs close to full but with around 30 spare places. Its free school meal rate of 14.4% sits below the national primary average, suggesting a catchment that is relatively mixed in terms of affluence. The school is clearly in demand: for the 2025/26 admissions cycle, it received 89 total applications for 48 places, with 47 of those coming as first preferences, all of which were offered. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 1.85 to one, indicating solid local popularity without being among the most competitive primaries in the borough. Headteacher Lorraine Batty leads a school that also offers nursery provision for three-year-olds, making it a genuine all-through option from age three up to eleven.

Academically, Whinstone performs solidly within its local authority but sits in the middle of the pack. At Key Stage 2 in the 2023/24 academic year, 64% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, just below the Stockton-on-Tees LA average of 66%. That places the school 32nd out of 55 primaries in the borough, or 31st out of 60 when including all primary types. Individual subject scores are more encouraging: average scaled scores of 105 in both reading and maths are above the national benchmark of 100, and 77% hit the expected standard in maths specifically. Where the school falls short is at the higher end — only 5% achieved the higher standard across all three subjects, and just 8% in writing. Ofsted last graded the school Good overall in a 2022 ungraded inspection, confirming it remains Good, with leadership and management also rated Good. Its previous graded inspection in 2011 also gave an overall Good rating, while the earlier 2009 inspection had rated it Requires Improvement.

The school offers a decent range of facilities for a primary, including a library, music rooms, playing fields, a forest school area and a chapel. Sports provision is strong for the age group, with football, tennis, netball, gymnastics, rounders, cricket and cross country on offer, plus clubs for gardening, drama and choir. SEND support is well-documented, covering seven specific needs including dyslexia, speech and language difficulties, autistic spectrum disorder and physical disability — useful for families who know their child will need extra support. With oversubscription but not extreme competition, and a Good Ofsted rating that has held steady across its two most recent inspections, Whinstone suits families looking for a stable, well-run local primary with good facilities and a realistic chance of getting a place, particularly those who value outdoor learning and a broad sports offer over top-tier academic selectivity.

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