Marlborough Primary School, Washington
Marlborough Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Washington. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2023. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 17th-highest of the 17 schools in Washington with published results, and 14,363rd of 14,452 across England. It was 57% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2023)
- 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
Marlborough Primary School in detail
Marlborough Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "The Equality Act became law in 2010. It covers everyone in Britain and protects people from discrimination, harassment and victimisation. Everyone in Britain is protected. This is because the Equality Act protects people against discrimination because of the protected characteristics that we all have."
From the headteacher's welcome: "On behalf of all the children, staff and governors, I would like to welcome you to Marlborough Primary School and our web pages. At Marlborough Primary we aim to make our school a safe, caring and child-centered place for your children to flourish and to do the very best that they can."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, gymnastics, multi-sports, choir, guitar, coding and forest school.
The school runs a breakfast club from 8:00am.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 27% of Year 6 pupils at Marlborough Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 47% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 78% in Sunderland and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 74% in reading and 74% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Marlborough Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 15 families put Marlborough Primary School as their first choice and 25 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 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 Marlborough Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Marlborough Primary School are Usworth Colliery Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 79% reading, 83% maths); St Bede's Catholic Primary School, Washington (0.6 miles, Good, 93% reading, 97% maths); Barmston Village Primary School (1 mile, Good, 80% reading, 64% maths); and St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Washington (1.1 miles, Good, 94% reading, 88% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Marlborough Primary School.
Usworth Colliery Primary SchoolSt Bede's Catholic Primary School, WashingtonBarmston Village Primary SchoolSt Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Washington
Who goes there
56% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 34 pupils (22.7%) received SEN support and 8 (5.3%) 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
Marlborough Primary School had 9 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
The nearest tram or metro stop is South Hylton (Tyne and Wear Metro Station), about 2.5 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Marlborough Road (s-bound), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Marlborough Primary School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Marlborough Primary School issued 2 suspensions, 1.3 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 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 · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Marlborough Primary School creates a warm, welcoming community where children feel safe and cared for. The early years provision is exceptional, with staff expertly supporting young children's learning through play. The school places great emphasis on developing the whole child, helping pupils understand the importance of health, safety, and treating others with respect.
Key Strengths
- Outstanding early years provision with exceptional understanding of children's needs and effective early reading approach
- Strong pastoral care and positive school culture where pupils behave well and feel valued
- Effective support for pupils with SEND, enabling them to access the same curriculum and achieve well
- Excellent work on pupils' wider development including healthy lifestyles, online safety, and British values
- Well-resourced library and strong emphasis on reading with evident pupil enthusiasm
Areas for Improvement
- Curriculum in some foundation subjects lacks precise definition, making it difficult for teachers to select appropriate activities and pupils to develop secure knowledge
- Inconsistent delivery of phonics programme and reading support across the school - some pupils not becoming confident, fluent readers quickly enough
- Reading books not always matched to pupils' current reading stage, hindering progress for early readers
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong safeguarding culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Educational visit leads programme, foodbank collection activities, clubs (specific types not detailed)
Marlborough Primary School has a strong sense of community and provides high-quality pastoral care where pupils are happy and feel safe. The school has improved from its previous 'Requires improvement' rating and now demonstrates good quality education with outstanding personal development and early years provision.
At a Glance
56.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 74% to 27% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 74% to 47% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 74% to 67% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
17.3
Avg class size
17.0
Infant (KS1)
17.5
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Marlborough Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Marlborough Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Marlborough 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
- 13
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 4 serious and 8 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
4 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 Marlborough Primary School
Will you get a place at Marlborough Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Marlborough Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Marlborough Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Marlborough Primary School.
- Sunderland publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Marlborough Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Marlborough Primary School for 2014 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
57%
Available places
119 pupils
210 places
91 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(12)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
34
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
28.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
150
Total Pupils
72
Boys
78
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
16.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,537
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,574
Per pupil
£1128k
Total funding
£130k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.1%
Overall absence
16.8%
Persistent absence
119
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
Marlborough Primary School
Questions parents ask about Marlborough Primary School
What are SATs results like at Marlborough Primary School?
Of the pupils at Marlborough Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 27% reached the expected standard in reading and 47% did so in maths.
What is Marlborough Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Marlborough 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 2023, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Marlborough Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Marlborough 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 Marlborough Primary School?
Marlborough Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 57% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at Marlborough Primary School?
Classes at Marlborough Primary School average 17.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Marlborough Primary School?
Marlborough Primary School has around 150 pupils on roll. 56% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Marlborough Primary School?
6.1% of sessions were missed at Marlborough Primary School in 2024/25. 16.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Marlborough Primary School?
Apply through Sunderland's coordinated admissions process, naming Marlborough 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 Marlborough Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 4 serious and 8 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 4 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 Marlborough Primary School?
Marlborough Primary School is at Marlborough Road, Sulgrave Village, Washington, Tyne and Wear, NE37 3BG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)