The Sele First School, Hexham
The Sele First School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 9 in Hexham. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2022. It was 85% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Northumberland (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Sele First School in detail
Getting a place at The Sele First School
For September 2026 entry, 59 families put The Sele First School as their first choice and 75 named it as one of their preferences, for 58 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at The Sele First School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to The Sele First School are St Mary's Catholic First School, Hexham (0.2 miles, Good); Hexham First School (0.8 miles, Good); Acomb First School (1.5 miles, Good); and Beaufront First School (2.1 miles, Good).
St Mary's Catholic First School, HexhamHexham First SchoolAcomb First SchoolBeaufront First School
Who goes there
11.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 64 pupils (16.4%) received SEN support and 10 (2.6%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hexham Station, about 730 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Abbey and Market Place (outside), 300 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 92 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Northumberland (44), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Sele First School issued 4 suspensions, 1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to The Sele First School are Hexham Middle School (0.4 miles); Queen Elizabeth High School (0.5 miles); and St Joseph's Catholic Middle School, Hexham (0.5 miles).
Hexham Middle SchoolQueen Elizabeth High SchoolSt Joseph's Catholic Middle School, Hexham
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2022 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
11.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
26.2
Avg class size
24.1
Infant (KS1)
24.8
KS2
13
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 Sele First School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Sele First School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Sele First 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)
- Collisions
- 15
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 12 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot.
4 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 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 The Sele First School
Will you get a place at The Sele First School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Sele First School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Sele First School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Sele First School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Northumberland, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Sele First 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
85%
Available places
356 pupils
420 places
64 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Hexham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Hexham
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
64
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
19.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
390
Total Pupils
202
Boys
188
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
22
Teachers
17.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,993
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,047
Per pupil
£1975k
Total funding
£68k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.0%
Overall absence
10.6%
Persistent absence
292
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 Sele First School
Questions parents ask about The Sele First School
What is The Sele First School's Ofsted rating?
The Sele First School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2022. At its previous graded inspection in 2006 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for The Sele First School?
No fixed boundary. When The Sele First 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 The Sele First School?
The Sele First School was not full in 2025: it ran at 85% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at The Sele First School?
Classes at The Sele First School average 26.2 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 The Sele First School?
The Sele First School has around 390 pupils on roll. 12% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Sele First School?
5% of sessions were missed at The Sele First School in 2024/25. 10.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Sele First School?
Apply through Northumberland's coordinated admissions process, naming The Sele First 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 The Sele First School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 12 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot. 4 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 Northumberland is 3 (the median across 175 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Sele First School?
The Sele First School is at The Sele, Hexham, Northumberland, NE46 3QZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)