Witton Gilbert Primary School

About Witton Gilbert Primary School

Witton Gilbert Primary School holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across its two most recent inspections, including a 2022 ungraded visit that confirmed the school remains Good. The most telling academic metric for this 4-11 mixed state primary is its Key Stage 2 results in reading, writing and maths combined. In the 2023/24 academic year, only 50% of pupils met the expected standard across all three subjects, which is notably below the County Durham local authority average of 62%. The school ranks 131st out of 170 primary schools in the county on this measure, placing it in the bottom 50% nationally. Individual subject scores paint a mixed picture: 73% reached the expected level in writing, compared with 69% in maths and 58% in reading. Just 4% of pupils achieved the higher standard in all three subjects.

Digging deeper into the Ofsted breakdown, the inspection team rated leadership and management, early years provision, and overall effectiveness all as Good in the most recent graded inspection of 2017. The 2022 ungraded inspection confirmed no change to the overall Good rating. The school's Progress 8 scores are not available, but the average scaled scores tell their own story: 102 in reading and 101 in maths, both just above the national benchmark of 100. With 26.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with above-average disadvantage. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in writing (73%) is the strongest individual subject result, while reading (58%) is the weakest. This suggests the school's writing provision is a relative strength, though the combined figure shows there is significant ground to make up against local and national averages.

Witton Gilbert is a popular school in its catchment, oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake with 50 applications for 27 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.85. All 26 first-preference applicants were offered a place, meaning local families who put it first are very likely to get in. The school offers a broad range of facilities including a forest school, sensory room, gymnasium and library, plus a chapel on site. Sports provision covers football, tennis, cricket, swimming, netball and cross country, while clubs include choir, drama, chess, art, book club and gardening. The school has identified SEND provisions for moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, and visual impairment. This is a school that suits families who value a strong community feel and a wide extracurricular offer, but who are realistic about academic outcomes being below the local average.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Witton Gilbert Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents