Howden-le-Wear Primary School, Crook
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
This school excels at making every child feel part of the Howden family, with outstanding behaviour built on a genuine sense of duty among pupils. Mathematics teaching is a particular strength, with children developing deep understanding from the early years onwards. The school successfully supports pupils with additional needs to access the full curriculum while meeting the same high behaviour expectations as all other pupils.
Key Strengths
- Mathematics is exceptionally well taught across the school, including early years, with pupils developing deep understanding
- Behaviour is outstanding - pupils consistently meet high expectations and show genuine care for their peers
- Early reading is prioritised with effective phonics teaching, helping most pupils leave Year 1 with strong phonics knowledge
- Pupils with SEND are swiftly identified and receive well-targeted, bespoke support to access the full curriculum
- Leadership is effective with an accurate view of the school and strong staff morale
Areas for Improvement
- In some foundation subjects like geography and history, pupils remember activities better than key learning and struggle with subject-specific vocabulary, affecting long-term memory
- Pupils lack deep understanding of different faiths and cultures and cannot confidently discuss key features of world religions
- The school needs to strengthen emphasis on key knowledge and vocabulary in curriculum teaching to ensure secure learning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with leaders creating an open culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
After-school clubs, school leadership roles, improved activities at social times
Howden-le-Wear Primary School creates a strong sense of belonging where pupils feel valued and safe. The school achieves above-average results in mathematics and has outstanding behaviour, with a well-established curriculum in core subjects.
At a Glance
18.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
54 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 87% to 59%. Maths has declined from 96% to 59%. Writing has declined from 83% to 63%.
Class Sizes
23.4
Avg class size
8
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
102%
Over capacity
179 pupils
175 capacity
4 places over capacity
Area Demand Pressure - Crook
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Crook
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
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
5.44214%
Overall absence
12.90323%
Persistent absence
155
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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