Swarland Primary School, Morpeth
Swarland Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Morpeth. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2010. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the highest of the 10 schools in Morpeth with published results, and 1,154th of 14,452 across England. It was 70% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2010)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Northumberland (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Swarland Primary School in detail
Swarland Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "THE BEST WE CAN BE. HAPPY LIFELONG LEARNERS REACHING FOR OUR GOALS AND DREAMS. At Swarland Primary School our ethos and values are that enjoyment and achievement go hand in hand."
The school runs after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils at Swarland Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 100% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 72% in Northumberland and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 88% in reading and 75% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Swarland Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 7 families put Swarland Primary School as their first choice and 24 named it as one of their preferences, for 9 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 Swarland Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Swarland Primary School are Felton Church of England Primary School (2.4 miles, Good, 91% reading, 82% maths); and Shilbottle Primary School (3.7 miles).
Felton Church of England Primary SchoolShilbottle Primary School
What parents say
56 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Swarland Primary School (as of September 2025): 89% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 73% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (73%).
Who goes there
3.9% 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.
In 2026, 8 pupils (10.5%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) 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.
Staffing
Swarland Primary School had 9 teachers in 2026, one for every 9 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 Swarland Primary School.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Percy Drive (adjacent), 150 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
Swarland Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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; 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 agoThis judgement is from September 2010, 16 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's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils enjoy attending this happy, friendly school. They work hard, behave well and treat each other with respect. The youngest children thrive in Reception class and make a great start to their education. Pupils continue to grow in confidence through the school. They achieve well and are skilfully prepared for the next stage of their education.
The school builds very strong relationships with children and their families. Right from the start, staff adapt their approach to meet children's needs. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well. The support these pupils receive enables them to play a full part in all aspects of school life.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
In this school there is a shared ambition that all pupils will succeed. There is a continuous drive to improve outcomes for pupils whatever their needs. The school's work to improve the curriculum and provision for mental health is particularly effective. Leaders, including governors, are considerate of the pressures on staff in this small school. Staff feel well supported and are proud to work at the school.
The school's curriculum is broad and well sequenced. It is successfully adapted to mixed-age classes. Subjects such as geography, that were previously less developed, are now much improved. Pupils generally learn well across different subjects. Staff receive a wide range of training and have detailed subject knowledge. Pupils have a thorough understanding of their learning. They draw on this to help them understand new content. For example, pupils relate their knowledge of Vesuvius to their learning about volcanoes in Iceland.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its September 2010 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
3.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
56 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 88% to 83% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 75% to 100% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 88% to 100% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
19.0
Avg class size
21.0
Infant (KS1)
20.5
KS2
4
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Swarland Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Swarland Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Swarland Primary School 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 Swarland Primary School
Will you get a place at Swarland Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Swarland Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Swarland Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Swarland Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Northumberland, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Swarland Primary School 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
70%
Available places
83 pupils
119 places
36 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Morpeth
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Morpeth
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(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
8
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
10.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
76
Total Pupils
39
Boys
37
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
8.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,259
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,504
Per pupil
£581k
Total funding
£2k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.6%
Overall absence
0.0%
Persistent absence
70
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Swarland Primary School
What are SATs results like at Swarland Primary School?
Of the pupils at Swarland Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 83% reached the expected standard in reading and 100% did so in maths.
What is Swarland Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Swarland Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2010, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Swarland Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Swarland Primary School is oversubscribed, Northumberland allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Swarland Primary School?
Swarland Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 70% of its 119 places.
How big are the classes at Swarland Primary School?
Classes at Swarland Primary School average 19 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Swarland Primary School?
Swarland Primary School has around 76 pupils on roll. 4% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Swarland Primary School?
3.6% of sessions were missed at Swarland Primary School in 2024/25. 0% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Swarland Primary School?
Apply through Northumberland's coordinated admissions process, naming Swarland 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 Swarland Primary School?
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 Swarland Primary School?
Swarland Primary School is at Leamington Lane, Newton-on-the-Moor, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE65 9JP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)