Howden-le-Wear Primary School, Crook
Howden-le-Wear Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Crook, part of Advance Learning Partnership. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 9th-highest of the 10 schools in Crook with published results, and 13,056th of 14,452 across England. It was 98% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to County Durham (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Howden-le-Wear Primary School in detail
Howden-le-Wear Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "On behalf of our Academy Council and staff, we would like to take this opportunity to offer both you and your child a sincere and warm welcome to our school. Howden-le-Wear has had a school in the village since 1856 when the Wesleyan Day School opened to provide education for the village and surrounding area."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 59% of Year 6 pupils at Howden-le-Wear Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 59% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in County Durham and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 87% in reading and 96% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Howden-le-Wear Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 14 families put Howden-le-Wear Primary School as their first choice and 28 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Howden-le-Wear Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Howden-le-Wear Primary School are Crook Primary School (1.2 miles, Good, 64% reading, 62% maths); Witton-le-Wear Primary School (1.5 miles, 63% reading, 81% maths); St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Crook (1.6 miles, 86% reading, 79% maths); and Hartside Primary Academy (1.6 miles, Good, 77% reading, 73% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Howden-le-Wear Primary School.
Crook Primary SchoolWitton-le-Wear Primary SchoolSt Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, CrookHartside Primary Academy
The trust
Howden-le-Wear Primary School is one of 23 schools run by Advance Learning Partnership, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 57% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
54 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Howden-le-Wear Primary School (as of September 2025): 87% would recommend the school, 98% say their child is happy there and 79% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (98%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (79%).
Who goes there
2.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 41 pupils (22.9%) received SEN support and 1 (0.6%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bishop Auckland West Weardale Rail Station, about 3.8 miles away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hargill Road (ne-bound), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 18 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well below the typical figure around schools in County Durham (84).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Howden-le-Wear Primary School issued 7 suspensions, 3.7 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; 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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Howden-le-Wear Primary School has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in January 2022. Before that, as Howden-le-Wear Primary School (URN 114061), it was rated Outstanding in January 2015.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
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
17.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
54 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 declined from 87% to 59% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 96% to 59% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 83% to 63% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Howden-le-Wear Primary School
Before and after school care
Howden-le-Wear Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in County Durham
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Howden-le-Wear Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Howden-le-Wear 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
- 5
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 2 serious and 2 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
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 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 Howden-le-Wear Primary School
Will you get a place at Howden-le-Wear Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Howden-le-Wear Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Howden-le-Wear Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Howden-le-Wear 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 Howden-le-Wear Primary School for 2022 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
98%
Near capacity
172 pupils
175 places
3 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Crook
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Crook
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
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
41
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
23.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
179
Total Pupils
106
Boys
73
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
19.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,244
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,665
Per pupil
£1089k
Total funding
£58k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.4%
Overall absence
12.9%
Persistent absence
155
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Howden-le-Wear Primary School
What are SATs results like at Howden-le-Wear Primary School?
Of the pupils at Howden-le-Wear Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 59% reached the expected standard in reading and 59% did so in maths.
What is Howden-le-Wear Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Howden-le-Wear Primary School has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in January 2022. Before that, as Howden-le-Wear Primary School (URN 114061), it was rated Outstanding in January 2015.
What is the catchment area for Howden-le-Wear Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Howden-le-Wear 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 Howden-le-Wear Primary School?
Howden-le-Wear Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How many pupils go to Howden-le-Wear Primary School?
Howden-le-Wear Primary School has around 179 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Howden-le-Wear Primary School?
5.4% of sessions were missed at Howden-le-Wear Primary School in 2024/25. 12.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Howden-le-Wear Primary School?
Apply through County Durham's coordinated admissions process, naming Howden-le-Wear 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.
Does Howden-le-Wear Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Howden-le-Wear Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Howden-le-Wear 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: 1 fatal, 2 serious and 2 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 County Durham is 5 (the median across 280 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Howden-le-Wear Primary School?
Howden-le-Wear Primary School is at School Street, Howden-le-Wear, Crook, County Durham, DL15 8HJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)