The Drive Community Primary School, Gateshead
The Drive Community Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Gateshead. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2022. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 26th-highest of the 35 schools in Gateshead with published results, and 9,982nd of 14,452 across England. It was 97% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Gateshead (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
The Drive Community Primary School in detail
The Drive Community Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "At The Drive, we are incredibly proud of our school and the community we serve. We are a growing school, currently with 216 children on roll, and we continue to expand as more families choose us for our nurturing, inclusive and ambitious approach to education."
The school runs a breakfast club, from £2.00 per session.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 66% of Year 6 pupils at The Drive Community Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 76% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 79% in Gateshead and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 85% in reading and 81% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at The Drive Community Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 23 families put The Drive Community Primary School as their first choice and 51 named it as one of their preferences, for 25 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 The Drive Community Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to The Drive Community Primary School are Brandling Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 85% reading, 81% maths); Falla Park Community Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 88% reading, 79% maths); Windy Nook Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 78% reading, 74% maths); and St Alban's Catholic Primary School, Pelaw (0.6 miles, 53% reading, 50% maths).
The Drive Community Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Brandling Primary SchoolFalla Park Community Primary SchoolWindy Nook Primary SchoolSt Alban's Catholic Primary School, Pelaw
Who goes there
44.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 32 pupils (15%) received SEN support and 5 (2.3%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
The Drive Community Primary School had 12 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 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 Heworth (Tyne and Wear Metro Station), about 260 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).
31 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Drive (ne-bound), 120 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Drive Community Primary School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 284 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 Gateshead (176), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Drive Community Primary School issued 11 suspensions, 5.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to The Drive Community Primary School are Heworth Grange School (0.3 miles); XP Gateshead (0.5 miles); and Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead (1.2 miles).
Heworth Grange SchoolXP GatesheadCardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead
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 · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2022 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school excels at creating a happy, inclusive environment where all children thrive. Reading is a particular strength, with a systematic phonics approach helping younger pupils become confident, fluent readers. The school has also done excellent work supporting pupils' well-being and creating strong connections to the local community through meaningful roles like 'Drive Ministers' and school council.
Key Strengths
- Strong relationships and excellent behaviour with bullying being exceptionally rare
- Systematic approach to teaching phonics helping younger children become fluent readers
- Inclusive approach ensuring all pupils, including those with special needs, receive support to succeed
- Good progress in mathematics with clear, well-sequenced curriculum knowledge
- Well-supported early years provision with calm atmosphere and strong language development
Areas for Improvement
- Essential knowledge not clearly planned in science and geography, making it difficult for teachers to check what pupils have learned
- Teachers unable to systematically assess learning over time in subjects where key knowledge has not been defined
- Need to clarify and specify essential knowledge across curriculum so pupils develop detailed skills
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective with well-trained staff alert to changes in pupils, detailed recording systems linking concerns, and pupils learning to stay safe online and in their community.
Extracurricular Activities
Multi-sports clubs, chicken club, library team, attendance leaders, sports leaders, well-being Wednesday
The Drive Community Primary School is a good school where leaders and teachers help pupils aspire to great things. Pupils are happy, behave well, and benefit from strong community links and a focus on well-being.
At a Glance
44.6%
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 85% to 66% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 81% to 76% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 65% to 76% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.3
Avg class size
22.5
Infant (KS1)
27.3
KS2
7
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with The Drive Community Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Drive Community Primary School.
- Active Future Gateshead Wraparound CareAt the school · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Drive Community Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Drive Community Primary School is in Gateshead; for families living there:
Apply to Gateshead for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 25
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 17 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 2 on a bicycle.
7 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 Gateshead is 11 (the median across 93 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 The Drive Community Primary School
Will you get a place at The Drive Community Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Drive Community Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Drive Community Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Drive Community Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Gateshead, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Drive Community Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Gateshead 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
97%
Near capacity
181 pupils
186 places
5 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Gateshead
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Gateshead
Across Gateshead council
Places available
2,494
Applications
1,785
Got 1st preference
98.1%
Got preferred school
99.8%
All primary applications across Gateshead council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
32
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
17.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
213
Total Pupils
102
Boys
111
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
17.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,799
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,410
Per pupil
£1338k
Total funding
£130k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.4%
Overall absence
18.9%
Persistent absence
169
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
The Drive Community Primary School
Questions parents ask about The Drive Community Primary School
What are SATs results like at The Drive Community Primary School?
Of the pupils at The Drive Community Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 66% reached the expected standard in reading and 76% did so in maths.
What is The Drive Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?
The Drive Community Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2022.
What is the catchment area for The Drive Community Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When The Drive Community Primary School is oversubscribed, Gateshead allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at The Drive Community Primary School?
The Drive Community Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at The Drive Community Primary School?
Classes at The Drive Community Primary School average 26.3 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 The Drive Community Primary School?
The Drive Community Primary School has around 213 pupils on roll. 45% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Drive Community Primary School?
6.4% of sessions were missed at The Drive Community Primary School in 2024/25. 18.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Drive Community Primary School?
Apply through Gateshead's coordinated admissions process, naming The Drive Community 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.
Does The Drive Community Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Active Future Gateshead Wraparound Care (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near The Drive Community Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 17 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 2 on a bicycle. 7 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 Gateshead is 11 (the median across 93 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Drive Community Primary School?
The Drive Community Primary School is at The Drive, Felling, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE10 0PY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)