Pentland Primary School, Billingham

Ofsted's report card from its 3 February 2026 inspection grades Pentland Primary School on 7 areas: 4 expected standard and 3 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Early years - Expected standard. "Children get off to a positive start in the early years."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have an effective approach to supporting those who are disadvantaged and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "The school has experienced a period of significant instability and change."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders effectively promote their vision of ensuring fullness of life while celebrating individuality."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Over time, pupils have not been as prepared as they should be for their next stages in education."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Too many pupils do not attend school often enough."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Teaching is not consistently effective across the school."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that highly effective teaching is embedded across the school so that pupils progress well across the whole curriculum"; "Leaders should ensure that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are supported to secure the foundational knowledge and skills that they need in reading, writing and mathematics so that they achieve well by the end of Year 6 and are ready for their next phase of education"; "Leaders should ensure that their attendance strategy and work to reduce persistent absence has greater impact so that pupils' attendance improves more rapidly".

In 2025, 52% of Year 6 pupils at Pentland Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 48% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 78% in Stockton-on-Tees and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 63% in reading and 60% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 14 families put Pentland Primary School as their first choice and 31 named it as one of their preferences, for 14 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 Pentland Primary School are Roseberry Primary School (0.5 miles); St John the Evangelist Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 86% reading, 68% maths); Billingham South Community Primary School (0.6 miles, Outstanding, 63% reading, 67% maths); and Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Catholic Academy (0.6 miles, Outstanding, 82% reading, 82% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Pentland Primary School.

Pentland Primary School is one of 4 schools run by One Excellence Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 61% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

41 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Pentland Primary School (as of April 2026): 68% would recommend the school, 76% say their child is happy there and 44% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (81%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (44%).

39.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 4.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 41 pupils (17.2%) received SEN support and 25 (10.5%) 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 autism.

Pentland Primary School has a resourced provision (10 places, 24 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit (10 places, 24 pupils on roll) for autism.

The nearest railway station is Billingham Rail Station, about 790 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).

2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Town Centre - Library (a), 240 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Pentland Primary School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Pentland Primary School issued 47 suspensions, 18.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Pentland Primary School are St Michael's Catholic Academy (1.1 miles) and Northfield School and Sports College (1.2 miles).