Hamsterley Primary School, Bishop Auckland
Hamsterley Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Bishop Auckland. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2024 Key Stage 2 results were the 18th-highest of the 21 schools in Bishop Auckland with published results, and 13,385th of 13,912 across England. It was 71% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- 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 County Durham (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Hamsterley Primary School in detail
Results
In 2024, 71% of Year 6 pupils at Hamsterley Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 29% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 73% in County Durham and 76% and 74% across England.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Hamsterley Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 1 family put Hamsterley Primary School as their first choice and 7 named it as one of their preferences, for 1 place 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 Hamsterley Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Hamsterley Primary School are Witton-le-Wear Primary School (2 miles, 63% reading, 81% maths); Howden-le-Wear Primary School (3.2 miles, 59% reading, 59% maths); Butterknowle Primary School (3.3 miles, Requires improvement, 29% reading, 43% maths); and Toft Hill Primary School (3.5 miles, Outstanding, 84% reading, 81% maths).
Witton-le-Wear Primary SchoolHowden-le-Wear Primary SchoolButterknowle Primary SchoolToft Hill Primary School
What parents say
13 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Hamsterley Primary School (as of September 2025): 92% would recommend the school, 100% 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 the school has high expectations for their child (62%).
Who goes there
16.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 5 pupils (13.9%) received SEN support and 1 (2.8%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
Hamsterley Primary School had 2 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Hamsterley Primary School.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Working Mens Club (w-bound), 120 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 3 crimes within a mile of the school, most often burglary and violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in County Durham (84).
Suspensions and exclusions
Hamsterley Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; 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 · 1 year agoThis judgement is from February 2019, 7 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
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Hamsterley Primary creates a happy, caring environment where every child feels valued and safe. The school has excellent relationships between pupils, staff and parents, and does outstanding work helping pupils understand values like equality, respect and democracy. Older children naturally support younger ones, and all pupils are eager to attend school.
Key Strengths
- Warm, nurturing environment where pupils thrive and feel safe
- Pupils' behaviour is calm and orderly, with older pupils acting as positive role models
- Strong development of pupils' wider learning including excellent understanding of British values, democracy and respect for difference
- Swift identification and tailored support for pupils with SEND who make positive progress
- Significantly improved pupil attendance with children eager to come to school
Areas for Improvement
- Errors and misconceptions in reading and phonics lessons are not identified accurately enough, preventing pupils from catching up swiftly
- Teaching in some wider curriculum subjects does not ensure knowledge is learned securely or deeply enough
- Gaps in pupils' learning are not consistently identified and addressed across all subjects
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with pupils having a well-developed understanding of how to stay safe both online and in the community.
Hamsterley Primary School is a small, welcoming school where pupils are happy, safe and well-behaved. However, the quality of education requires improvement as some pupils are not achieving as highly as they could.
At a Glance
16.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
13 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2023/24KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2023/24 academic year
Class Sizes
18.0
Avg class size
17.0
KS2
2
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Hamsterley Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Hamsterley Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Hamsterley 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
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
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 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 Hamsterley Primary School
Will you get a place at Hamsterley Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Hamsterley Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Hamsterley Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Hamsterley 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 Hamsterley Primary School for 2014 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.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
71%
Available places
30 pupils
42 places
12 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Bishop Auckland
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bishop Auckland
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(8)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
5
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
16.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
36
Total Pupils
22
Boys
14
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
2
Teachers
18.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
2026 data
School Funding
£10,824
Per pupil
£371k
Total funding
£8k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.5%
Overall absence
14.8%
Persistent absence
27
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Hamsterley Primary School
What are SATs results like at Hamsterley Primary School?
Of the pupils at Hamsterley Primary School who took the 2024 Key Stage 2 assessments, 71% reached the expected standard in reading and 29% did so in maths.
What is Hamsterley Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Hamsterley Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Hamsterley Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Hamsterley 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 Hamsterley Primary School?
Hamsterley Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 71% of its 42 places.
How big are the classes at Hamsterley Primary School?
Classes at Hamsterley Primary School average 18 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Hamsterley Primary School?
Hamsterley Primary School has around 36 pupils on roll. 17% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Hamsterley Primary School?
4.5% of sessions were missed at Hamsterley Primary School in 2024/25. 14.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Hamsterley Primary School?
Apply through County Durham's coordinated admissions process, naming Hamsterley 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 Hamsterley Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 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 County Durham is 5 (the median across 280 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Hamsterley Primary School?
Hamsterley Primary School is at Hamsterley Primary School, Hamsterley, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL13 3QF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)