NCEA Bishop's Primary School, Ashington

In its own words: "There are lots of great reasons to choose Bishop’s Primary School to help your child’s education get off to a flying start."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to NCEA Bishop’s Primary School. We are based at the Josephine Butler Campus in Ashington in the same building as Duke’s Secondary School and Castle School. We serve the wards of Ashington Central, College and Hirst and children can attend our school from our 2 year old provision to Year 6."

The school runs a breakfast club.

In 2025, 51% of Year 6 pupils at NCEA Bishop's Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 44% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 72% in Northumberland and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 72% in reading and 67% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 43 families put NCEA Bishop's Primary School as their first choice and 63 named it as one of their preferences, for 43 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to NCEA Bishop's Primary School are St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Ashington (0.2 miles, 87% reading, 97% maths); NCEA Thomas Bewick C of E Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 52% reading, 48% maths); NCEA James Knott CofE Primary School (0.7 miles, 83% reading, 83% maths); and Central Academy (0.8 miles).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than NCEA Bishop's Primary School.

NCEA Bishop's Primary School is one of 9 schools run by Northumberland Church of England Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 42% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

34.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 3.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 130 pupils (29%) received SEN support and 20 (4.5%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Ashington Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is High School (outside), 230 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood NCEA Bishop's Primary School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 6th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 269 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Northumberland (44), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, NCEA Bishop's Primary School issued 5 suspensions, 1.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to NCEA Bishop's Primary School are NCEA Duke's Secondary School (under 0.1 miles) and Ashington Academy (1.3 miles).