Crooksbarn Primary School, Stockton-on-tees
Crooksbarn Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Stockton-on-tees, part of Ad Astra Academy Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2008. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 22nd-highest of the 43 schools in Stockton-on-tees with published results, and 5,545th of 14,452 across England. It was 97% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2008)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Stockton-on-Tees (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Crooksbarn Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils at Crooksbarn Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 82% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 78% in Stockton-on-Tees and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 79% in reading and 74% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Crooksbarn Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 51 families put Crooksbarn Primary School as their first choice and 75 named it as one of their preferences, for 45 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 6 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Crooksbarn Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Crooksbarn Primary School are St Joseph's Catholic Academy (0.5 miles, Good, 67% reading, 69% maths); Frederick Nattrass Primary Academy (0.7 miles, Good, 88% reading, 88% maths); The Glebe Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 73% reading, 82% maths); and Pentland Primary School (1.1 miles, Good, 52% reading, 48% maths).
Crooksbarn Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
St Joseph's Catholic AcademyFrederick Nattrass Primary AcademyThe Glebe Primary SchoolPentland Primary School
The trust
Crooksbarn Primary School is one of 10 schools run by Ad Astra Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 55% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
119 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Crooksbarn Primary School (as of September 2025): 93% would recommend the school, 97% say their child is happy there and 61% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (97%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (61%).
Who goes there
4.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 29 pupils (9.4%) received SEN support and 8 (2.6%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Billingham Rail Station, about 1.6 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Fieldfare Lane (b), 370 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Crooksbarn Primary School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
Crooksbarn Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Crooksbarn Primary School are Northfield School and Sports College (1.4 miles) and North Shore Academy (1.5 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from November 2008, 17 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Crooksbarn Primary School excels at creating an inclusive, nurturing environment where every pupil - including those with additional needs - feels valued and supported. The school has outstanding phonics and reading provision, with trained staff ensuring children become confident readers quickly. Pupils demonstrate excellent behaviour and character, with strong values around kindness, respect and community.
Key Strengths
- Strong phonics teaching with well-trained staff helping pupils become fluent, confident readers
- Careful curriculum design that builds pupils' knowledge over time with regular opportunities to revisit and apply learning
- Excellent support for pupils with special educational needs, with staff receiving training to provide tailored support
- Positive behaviour and clear routines creating calm, purposeful lessons and a respectful school community
- Strong focus on pupils' mental health and well-being with high-quality pastoral care
Areas for Improvement
- Some learning activities do not consistently deepen pupils' knowledge effectively enough once key concepts have been learned
- Writing curriculum is not implemented consistently across year groups, with some pupils not making sustained progress in their writing skills
- Variability in how pupils present their written work and apply their knowledge to write accurately and at length
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Reading challenges and rewards (reading scrapbooks, star reader bag), house points and Barney award, sports leaders, play buddies, assemblies, clubs, educational visits, debates and discussions
Crooksbarn Primary School provides a warm, caring atmosphere where pupils are happy, safe and valued. The school has improved significantly since its last inspection and now offers good quality education across all areas.
At a Glance
4.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
119 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 79% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 74% to 82% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 77% to 90% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.3
Avg class size
22.2
Infant (KS1)
25.2
KS2
12
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Crooksbarn Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Crooksbarn Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Crooksbarn Primary School is in Stockton-on-Tees; for families living there:
Apply to Stockton-on-Tees for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 5
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 4 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 Stockton-on-Tees is 9 (the median across 87 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 Crooksbarn Primary School
Will you get a place at Crooksbarn Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Crooksbarn Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Crooksbarn Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Crooksbarn Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Stockton-on-Tees, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Crooksbarn Primary School for 2019 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Stockton-on-Tees 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
97%
Near capacity
260 pupils
268 places
8 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Stockton-on-tees
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Stockton-on-tees
Across Stockton-on-Tees council
Places available
2,555
Applications
1,901
Got 1st preference
97.7%
Got preferred school
99.5%
All primary applications across Stockton-on-Tees council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
29
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
12.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
307
Total Pupils
150
Boys
157
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
15
Teachers
20.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,081
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,955
Per pupil
£1416k
Total funding
£23k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.2%
Overall absence
8.9%
Persistent absence
235
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
Crooksbarn Primary School
Questions parents ask about Crooksbarn Primary School
What are SATs results like at Crooksbarn Primary School?
Of the pupils at Crooksbarn Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 79% reached the expected standard in reading and 82% did so in maths.
What is Crooksbarn Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Crooksbarn Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2008, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Crooksbarn Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Crooksbarn Primary School is oversubscribed, Stockton-on-Tees allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Crooksbarn Primary School?
Crooksbarn Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Crooksbarn Primary School?
Classes at Crooksbarn Primary School average 24.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Crooksbarn Primary School?
Crooksbarn Primary School has around 307 pupils on roll. 5% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Crooksbarn Primary School?
4.2% of sessions were missed at Crooksbarn Primary School in 2024/25. 8.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Crooksbarn Primary School?
Apply through Stockton-on-Tees's coordinated admissions process, naming Crooksbarn 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.
How many road collisions happen near Crooksbarn Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 4 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Stockton-on-Tees is 9 (the median across 87 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Crooksbarn Primary School?
Crooksbarn Primary School is at Petrel Crescent, Crooksbarn Estate, Stockton-on-tees, TS20 1SN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)