Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School, Chester le Street
Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 0 to 11 in Chester le Street. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2021. That was 5 years ago, so the rating may not reflect the school today. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 12th-highest of the 16 schools in Chester le Street with published results, and 9,396th of 14,452 across England. It was 55% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2021)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to County Durham (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 71% of Year 6 pupils at Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 74% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in County Durham and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 59% in reading and 51% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 27 families put Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School as their first choice and 44 named it as one of their preferences, for 27 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School are Bullion Lane Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 94% reading, 94% maths); Cestria Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 95% reading, 79% maths); Newker Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 83% reading, 78% maths); and St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Chester-Le-Street (0.9 miles, Good, 80% reading, 83% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School.
Bullion Lane Primary SchoolCestria Primary SchoolNewker Primary SchoolSt Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Chester-Le-Street
What parents say
50 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School (as of April 2026): 76% would recommend the school, 84% say their child is happy there and 33% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (84%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (33%).
Who goes there
2.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 55 pupils (21.2%) received SEN support and 20 (7.7%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autism and moderate learning difficulties: 16 places, 13 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Station Road, about 950 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
19 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Glen Barr (sw-bound), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 242 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 County Durham (84), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School issued 4 suspensions, 1.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School are Park View School (0.8 miles) and Hermitage Academy (0.8 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 10 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school is a caring, inclusive place where all children feel valued and safe. Staff provide excellent support for children with additional needs and disadvantaged pupils, enabling them to access learning successfully. The newly improved early years provision is already helping children arrive in Year 1 better prepared for learning.
Key Strengths
- Warm, welcoming atmosphere where pupils feel safe and behaviour is typically positive
- Strong inclusive approach ensuring disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND receive effective, tailored support
- Well-developed early years provision helping children get off to a flying start
- Comprehensive personal development programme woven through the curriculum
- Effective pastoral care and attendance strategies, particularly for disadvantaged pupils
Areas for Improvement
- Too many pupils not achieving expected standard in phonics screening check
- Significant minority of pupils have gaps in reading, with older pupils not getting enough support to develop fluency
- Weak progress in writing, grammar, punctuation, handwriting and spelling across the school
- Some pupils with learning gaps not receiving adequate support to catch up with peers
- Some parents feel their concerns are not addressed quickly enough
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils are made safer and feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Theatre trips, visits to local places of interest, visits to London, local church visits, art and music activities
Chester-Le-Street CofE Primary School is an inclusive school where leaders prioritise pastoral care and have recently redesigned the curriculum to help pupils know and remember more. However, achievement in reading and writing needs improvement, with too many pupils not meeting expected standards.
At a Glance
22.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: SpLD, Autism, MLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
50 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 59% to 71% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 51% to 74% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 71% to 76% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
21.8
Avg class size
28.5
Infant (KS1)
28.0
KS2
10
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School
Before and after school care
Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in County Durham
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School.
- Kip McGrath Chester le Street700m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School is in County Durham; for families living there:
- County Durham's school travel policy: School transport policies and strategies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school travel
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 6 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in County Durham is 5 (the median across 280 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 Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School
Will you get a place at Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from County Durham, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School for 2015 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in County Durham 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.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
55%
Available places
229 pupils
416 places
187 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Chester le Street
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Chester le Street
Across County Durham council
Places available
6,581
Applications
4,409
Got 1st preference
97.3%
Got preferred school
99.4%
All primary applications across County Durham council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
55
SEN Support
20
EHC Plans
28.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autism and moderate learning difficulties: 16 places, 13 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
260
Total Pupils
121
Boys
139
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
13
Teachers
20.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,098
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,696
Per pupil
£1461k
Total funding
£89k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.6%
Overall absence
14.3%
Persistent absence
210
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
Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School
Questions parents ask about Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School
What are SATs results like at Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School?
Of the pupils at Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 71% reached the expected standard in reading and 74% did so in maths.
What is Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2025, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2021, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School is oversubscribed, County Durham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School?
Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 55% of its 416 places.
How big are the classes at Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School?
Classes at Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School average 21.8 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School?
Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School has around 260 pupils on roll. 23% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School have specialist SEN provision?
Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autism and moderate learning difficulties: 16 places, 13 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School?
6.6% of sessions were missed at Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School in 2024/25. 14.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School?
Apply through County Durham's coordinated admissions process, naming Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary 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.
Does Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School: Kip McGrath Chester le Street (700m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 6 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in County Durham is 5 (the median across 280 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School?
Chester-Le-Street CofE (Controlled) Primary School is at Hilda Park, Chester le Street, County Durham, DH2 2JT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)