Escomb Primary School, Bishop Auckland
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Overall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Escomb Primary School creates a caring, safe environment where children are happy and well-behaved. The school excels at teaching reading from the very start and has made strong improvements to maths teaching. Staff are highly supportive of all pupils, with particular strength in helping disadvantaged children and those with additional needs access all opportunities the school offers.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on reading from the earliest years with effective phonics teaching
- Calm, welcoming learning environment with excellent behaviour and rare bullying
- Well-designed support for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, helping them access all school opportunities
- Effective mathematics curriculum improvements showing positive impact on pupil achievement
- Wide range of clubs, activities and community engagement opportunities for all pupils
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils do not develop writing skills as quickly as they could, with inconsistent error correction
- A small minority of pupils absent more than they should be, including those with SEND
- In some subjects beyond reading, writing and maths, teachers' subject knowledge is variable
- Some pupils moved to new content before fully securing prior knowledge
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met. Leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, making pupils safer and helping them feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Rock Steady music club (bass guitar, keyboard, drums), girls football team, outdoor education residential visits, local artist workshops, student council, green and digital leader roles, visits to Auckland Castle and mining art gallery, river conservation projects, local care home visits
Escomb Primary School meets the expected standard across all areas of inspection. The school provides a safe, welcoming environment where pupils make good progress, particularly in reading and mathematics, though some need more support to develop their writing skills quickly.
At a Glance
13.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 85% to 79%. Maths has declined from 85% to 68%. Writing has remained stable at around 82%.
Class Sizes
23.6
Avg class size
20.3
Infant (KS1)
26.0
KS2
7
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
76%
Available places
160 pupils
210 capacity
50 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Bishop Auckland
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Bishop Auckland
Admissions Demand - County Durham
Places available
6,592
Applications
4,491
Got 1st preference
96.4%
Got preferred school
99.2%
Primary admissions across County Durham (2025/26)
Inspection History(108)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.33206%
Overall absence
10%
Persistent absence
150
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Escomb Primary School
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