George Washington Primary School, Washington
George Washington Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Washington, part of Oak Learning Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 10th-highest of the 17 schools in Washington with published results, and 7,071st of 14,452 across England. It was 95% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Sunderland (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
George Washington Primary School in detail
George Washington Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "We learn in different ways because we go on lots of trips and have visitors in school regularly to support our learning. We have developed our own forest learning site on part of our school field and are enjoy taking lots of our learning outdoors."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, basketball, drama, Lego, STEM, gardening, forest school and cheerleading.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 74% of Year 6 pupils at George Washington Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 81% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 78% in Sunderland and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (73% in reading, 78% in maths).
Getting a place at George Washington Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 43 families put George Washington Primary School as their first choice and 79 named it as one of their preferences, for 43 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 George Washington Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to George Washington Primary School are St Bede's Catholic Primary School, Washington (0.6 miles, Good, 93% reading, 97% maths); Albany Village Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 68% reading, 68% maths); Springwell Village Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 83% reading, 72% maths); and Usworth Colliery Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 79% reading, 83% maths).
George Washington Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
St Bede's Catholic Primary School, WashingtonAlbany Village Primary SchoolSpringwell Village Primary SchoolUsworth Colliery Primary School
The trust
George Washington Primary School is one of 7 schools run by Oak Learning Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 64% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
71 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about George Washington Primary School (as of September 2025): 97% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 58% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (97%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (58%).
Who goes there
45.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 2.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 77 pupils (20.1%) received SEN support and 3 (0.8%) 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 autism.
Staffing
George Washington Primary School had 16 teachers in 2026, one for every 25 pupils: fewer teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Pelaw (Tyne and Wear Metro Station), about 2.4 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Wellbank Road (n-bound), 40 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, George Washington Primary School issued 6 suspensions, 1.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
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; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from March 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school excels at making children feel safe, happy and supported. The well-organised curriculum helps pupils understand and remember what they learn, while the extensive enrichment activities - from woodland learning to trips to France - develop confident, well-rounded children. Staff work closely with parents and prioritise the wellbeing of all pupils, including those with additional needs.
Key Strengths
- Well-designed curriculum that helps pupils remember and apply knowledge across subjects
- Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities
- Excellent range of enrichment activities including woodland learning, trips, and community service
- Strong behaviour management and pupil welfare support
- Effective early years provision with independent, engaged children
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils lack the required reading knowledge to participate fully in phonics lessons, missing valuable teaching time and falling behind in reading development
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Woodland area activities, bike safety training, online safety lessons, singing at local care home, homeless charity support, trips including Year 6 residential visit to France, breakfast club, after-school provision
George Washington Primary School has maintained its good standards since the previous inspection. Pupils feel safe and happy, with strong leadership creating a positive atmosphere throughout the school.
At a Glance
45.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
71 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 74% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 81% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 69% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.3
Avg class size
26.4
Infant (KS1)
27.9
KS2
13
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with George Washington Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to George Washington Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. George Washington Primary School is in Sunderland; for families living there:
Apply to Sunderland for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 8
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 5 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
0 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 Sunderland is 13 (the median across 125 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 George Washington Primary School
Will you get a place at George Washington Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against George Washington Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for George Washington Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to George Washington Primary School.
- Sunderland publishes last distance offered figures, but none for George Washington Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at George Washington Primary School for 2017 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Sunderland 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
95%
Near capacity
399 pupils
420 places
21 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Washington
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Washington
Across Sunderland council
Places available
3,430
Applications
2,737
Got 1st preference
95.0%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All primary applications across Sunderland council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
77
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
20.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
384
Total Pupils
197
Boys
187
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
24.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,925
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,460
Per pupil
£2569k
Total funding
£232k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.2%
Overall absence
17.6%
Persistent absence
352
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
George Washington Primary School
Questions parents ask about George Washington Primary School
What are SATs results like at George Washington Primary School?
Of the pupils at George Washington Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 74% reached the expected standard in reading and 81% did so in maths.
What is George Washington Primary School's Ofsted rating?
George Washington Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for George Washington Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When George Washington Primary School is oversubscribed, Sunderland allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at George Washington Primary School?
George Washington Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 95% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at George Washington Primary School?
Classes at George Washington Primary School average 27.3 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to George Washington Primary School?
George Washington Primary School has around 384 pupils on roll. 45% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at George Washington Primary School?
6.2% of sessions were missed at George Washington Primary School in 2024/25. 17.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to George Washington Primary School?
Apply through Sunderland's coordinated admissions process, naming George Washington 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 George Washington Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 5 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 0 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 Sunderland is 13 (the median across 125 schools, same distance and years).
Where is George Washington Primary School?
George Washington Primary School is at Well Bank Road, Washington, Tyne and Wear, NE37 1NL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)