Sugar Hill Primary School, Newton Aycliffe
Sugar Hill Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Newton Aycliffe. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 5th-highest of the 9 schools in Newton Aycliffe with published results, and 7,842nd of 14,452 across England. It was 98% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2017)
- 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 County Durham (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Sugar Hill Primary School in detail
Sugar Hill Primary School in its own words
The school runs after-school care.
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 72% of Year 6 pupils at Sugar Hill Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 80% 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 78% in reading and 86% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Sugar Hill Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 39 families put Sugar Hill Primary School as their first choice and 98 named it as one of their preferences, for 44 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 Sugar Hill Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Sugar Hill Primary School are St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Newton Aycliffe (0.4 miles, 79% reading, 66% maths); Woodham Burn Community Primary School and Nursery (0.5 miles, 61% reading, 70% maths); Vane Road Primary School (0.5 miles, 79% reading, 90% maths); and Stephenson Way Academy and Nursery School (0.6 miles, Good, 48% reading, 48% maths).
Sugar Hill Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Newton AycliffeWoodham Burn Community Primary School and NurseryVane Road Primary SchoolStephenson Way Academy and Nursery School
What parents say
43 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Sugar Hill Primary School (as of September 2025): 86% would recommend the school, 88% say their child is happy there and 39% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (95%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (39%).
Who goes there
3.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 75 pupils (16.7%) received SEN support and 8 (1.8%) 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 Newton Aycliffe Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
18 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sugar Hill School (ne-bound), 70 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 289 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in County Durham (84), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Sugar Hill Primary School issued 4 suspensions, 0.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Sugar Hill Primary School are Woodham Academy (0.7 miles), Greenfield Academy (1.3 miles) and UTC South Durham (1.5 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from September 2017, 9 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Sugar Hill Primary School creates a nurturing environment where children thrive academically and personally. Staff have high expectations and work tirelessly to support every child's development, from the exceptional early years provision through to upper school. The school offers rich learning experiences with strong connections to the local community and carefully planned enrichment activities that help pupils understand their responsibilities as global citizens.
Key Strengths
- Outstanding behaviour and attitudes - pupils show maturity and support each other with dedicated 'mini police' during breaks
- Exceptional early years provision with highly skilled staff and expertly planned resources both indoors and outdoors
- Strong phonics teaching with thorough checks on pupils' progress and effective support for struggling readers
- Excellent personal development with a wide range of clubs and experiences including choir, art, yoga and sports
- Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, enabling them to access the full curriculum alongside peers
Areas for Improvement
- Assessment not precise enough in some subjects - teachers sometimes miss misconceptions or knowledge gaps that need addressing
- Need to ensure assessment is used consistently across the whole curriculum so all pupils can build knowledge effectively
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with school staff providing multiple ways for pupils to share worries and offering consistent care and support.
Extracurricular Activities
Choir, art, yoga, range of sports, School Nutrition Action Group, vegetable gardening projects, Kindness Café
Sugar Hill Primary School is a welcoming school where staff have exceptionally high expectations for pupils' learning and personal development. The school was previously judged outstanding and continues to maintain strong standards across behaviour, personal development, and leadership.
At a Glance
30.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
43 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 78% to 72% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 86% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 78% to 65% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.2
Avg class size
28.7
Infant (KS1)
29.6
KS2
14
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Sugar Hill Primary School
Weekly Newsletter Friday 2nd October 2026
2 Oct 2026
Weekly Newsletter 25th September 2026
25 Sep 2026
Active Future Wrap Around Care 25th September 2026
25 Sep 2026
Weekly Newsletter 18th September 2026
18 Sep 2026
Weekly Newsletter 11th September 2026
11 Sep 2026
Active Future Wrap Around Care
11 Sep 2026
From Sugar Hill Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Sugar Hill Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Sugar Hill Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Sugar Hill 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
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 5 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 3 on a bicycle.
3 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 Sugar Hill Primary School
Will you get a place at Sugar Hill Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Sugar Hill Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Sugar Hill Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Sugar Hill 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 Sugar Hill Primary School for 2014 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
412 pupils
420 places
8 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Newton Aycliffe
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Newton Aycliffe
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(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
75
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
18.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
448
Total Pupils
220
Boys
228
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
20
Teachers
22.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,376
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,245
Per pupil
£2489k
Total funding
£183k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.1%
Overall absence
16.3%
Persistent absence
363
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
Sugar Hill Primary School
Questions parents ask about Sugar Hill Primary School
What are SATs results like at Sugar Hill Primary School?
Of the pupils at Sugar Hill Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 72% reached the expected standard in reading and 80% did so in maths.
What is Sugar Hill Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Sugar Hill Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2017, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Sugar Hill Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Sugar Hill 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 Sugar Hill Primary School?
Sugar Hill Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Sugar Hill Primary School?
Classes at Sugar Hill Primary School average 29.2 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Sugar Hill Primary School?
Sugar Hill Primary School has around 448 pupils on roll. 30% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Sugar Hill Primary School?
6.1% of sessions were missed at Sugar Hill Primary School in 2024/25. 16.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Sugar Hill Primary School?
Apply through County Durham's coordinated admissions process, naming Sugar Hill 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 Sugar Hill Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 5 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 3 on a bicycle. 3 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 Sugar Hill Primary School?
Sugar Hill Primary School is at Sheraton Road, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, DL5 5NU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)