Acomb First School, Hexham
Acomb First School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 9 in Hexham. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2023 did not change this grade. It was 87% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Northumberland (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Acomb First School in detail
Acomb First School in its own words
In its own words: "At Acomb First School we will support all children to grow into confident, resilient, curious learners. They will be responsible, global citizens who will leave us with a lifelong love of learning."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include eco club, art and forest school.
The school runs after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Acomb First School
For September 2026 entry, 6 families put Acomb First School as their first choice and 10 named it as one of their preferences, for 6 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Acomb First School are Beaufront First School (1.4 miles, Good); The Sele First School (1.5 miles, Good); St Mary's Catholic First School, Hexham (1.7 miles, Good); and Hexham First School (1.9 miles, Good).
Beaufront First SchoolThe Sele First SchoolSt Mary's Catholic First School, HexhamHexham First School
Who goes there
1.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 23 pupils (39.7%) received SEN support and 3 (5.2%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
Acomb First School had 6 teachers in 2026, one for every 11 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hexham Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Pant (at), 260 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 2 crimes within a mile of the school, most often burglary and vehicle crime. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Northumberland (44).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Acomb First School issued 1 suspension, 1.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Acomb First School are Hexham Middle School (1.8 miles) and Queen Elizabeth High School (1.8 miles).
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from January 2018, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its January 2018 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
24.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
19.3
Avg class size
17.0
Infant (KS1)
24.0
KS2
3
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Acomb First School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Acomb First School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Acomb First School is in Northumberland; for families living there:
Apply to Northumberland for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Northumberland is 3 (the median across 175 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Acomb First School
Will you get a place at Acomb First School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Acomb First School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Acomb First School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Acomb First School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Northumberland, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Acomb First School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Northumberland got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
87%
Available places
65 pupils
75 places
10 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Hexham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Hexham
Across Northumberland council
Places available
3,735
Applications
2,569
Got 1st preference
96.8%
Got preferred school
98.6%
All primary applications across Northumberland council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
23
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
44.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
58
Total Pupils
37
Boys
21
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
6
Teachers
9.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,714
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,396
Per pupil
£544k
Total funding
£18k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.3%
Overall absence
8.9%
Persistent absence
56
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Acomb First School
Questions parents ask about Acomb First School
What is Acomb First School's Ofsted rating?
Acomb First School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2018, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Acomb First School?
No fixed boundary. When Acomb First School is oversubscribed, Northumberland allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Acomb First School?
Acomb First School was not full in 2025: it ran at 87% of its 75 places.
How big are the classes at Acomb First School?
Classes at Acomb First School average 19.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Acomb First School?
Acomb First School has around 58 pupils on roll. 24% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Acomb First School?
4.3% of sessions were missed at Acomb First School in 2024/25. 8.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Acomb First School?
Apply through Northumberland's coordinated admissions process, naming Acomb First School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Acomb First School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Northumberland is 3 (the median across 175 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Acomb First School?
Acomb First School is at Bishops Hill, Main Street, Hexham, Northumberland, NE46 4PL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)