Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford, Berwick-upon-Tweed
Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Berwick-upon-Tweed. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2024 did not change this grade. It was 68% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- 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 Northumberland (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford in detail
Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "We are a small and rural Church of England Aided Primary School. We very much think of ourselves as a school family - we love one another (John 13:34) . The way we 'live' this is deeply embedded in how the school runs, both in its vision and in the day to day operations."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford
For September 2026 entry, 5 families put Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford as their first choice and 6 named it as one of their preferences, for 5 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 Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford
Who goes there
16.3% 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.
Staffing
Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford had 4 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 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 Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bank Top (eb), 70 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Northumberland (44).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford issued 2 suspensions, 3.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from February 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its February 2019 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
16.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
12.3
Avg class size
19.0
Infant (KS1)
11.0
KS2
4
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby primary school
Keep up with Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford is in Northumberland; for families living there:
Apply to Northumberland for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Northumberland is 3 (the median across 175 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 Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford
Will you get a place at Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Northumberland, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Northumberland 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
68%
Available places
50 pupils
73 places
23 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Berwick-upon-Tweed
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Berwick-upon-Tweed
Across Northumberland council
Places available
3,735
Applications
2,569
Got 1st preference
96.8%
Got preferred school
98.6%
All primary applications across Northumberland council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
7
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
18.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
49
Total Pupils
30
Boys
19
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
4
Teachers
12.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,428
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,952
Per pupil
£507k
Total funding
£12k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.1%
Overall absence
15.0%
Persistent absence
40
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford
What is Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford's Ofsted rating?
Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2024, 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 Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford?
No fixed boundary. When Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford is oversubscribed, Northumberland allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford?
Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford was not full in 2025: it ran at 68% of its 73 places.
How big are the classes at Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford?
Classes at Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford average 12.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford?
Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford has around 49 pupils on roll. 16% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford?
5.1% of sessions were missed at Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford in 2024/25. 15% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford?
Apply through Northumberland's coordinated admissions process, naming Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford 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 Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Northumberland is 3 (the median across 175 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford?
Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford is at Bank Top, Ford, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, TD15 2QA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)