Bankfields Primary School, Middlesbrough

Ofsted's report card from its 3 February 2026 inspection grades Bankfields Primary School on 7 areas: 6 strong standard and 1 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils at Bankfields Primary achieve highly."

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders' work to improve pupils' attendance has a highly positive impact."

Early years - Strong standard. "Leaders across school are highly knowledgeable about the early years."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Bankfields Primary School is a highly inclusive school."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders at all levels have established an environment in school that allows pupils to thrive, achieve and succeed."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The school has developed a coherent, effective and appropriate programme for pupils' personal development."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "As a result of leaders using expertise from within the school and across the trust, the school's broad and ambitious curriculum has been further strengthened since the last inspection."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should ensure that teaching and task design is improved in a small number of subjects so that highly effective teaching is embedded across all year groups and subjects".

In its own words: "The Reception, Y1, Y2, Y3 and Year 4 (Class 8) children are based in the West Building. The Y4 (Class 7) Y5 and Y6 team plus the Nursery are based in the East Building. Children in every team benefit from the extra support provided by teaching assistants."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, tennis, drama, choir, Lego, cooking and gardening.

The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care, from £2.00 per session.

In 2025, 90% of Year 6 pupils at Bankfields Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 90% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 78% in Redcar and Cleveland and 77% and 75% across England.

Results were similar in 2024 (88% in reading, 88% in maths).

For September 2026 entry, 24 families put Bankfields Primary School as their first choice and 30 named it as one of their preferences, for 26 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Bankfields Primary School are Normanby Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 74% reading, 74% maths); Whale Hill Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 93% reading, 94% maths); Teesville Academy (0.7 miles, Good, 86% reading, 79% maths); and Caedmon Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 74% reading, 79% maths).

Bankfields Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Bankfields Primary School is one of 4 schools run by Steel River Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 74% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

34 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Bankfields Primary School (as of April 2026): 91% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that their child feels safe (85%).

47.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 5.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (88%) and Black (6%).

In 2026, 53 pupils (20.6%) received SEN support and 7 (2.7%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

Bankfields Primary School had 18 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Gypsy Lane Rail Station, about 2.1 miles away in a straight line.

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Moorcock Close (b), 160 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Bankfields Primary School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 286 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Redcar and Cleveland (174), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Bankfields Primary School issued 7 suspensions, 2.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Bankfields Primary School are Outwood Academy Normanby (1 mile) and Nunthorpe School & Sixth Form (1.8 miles).