Toft Hill Primary School, Bishop Auckland
Toft Hill Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Bishop Auckland. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 4th-highest of the 22 schools in Bishop Auckland with published results, and 4,602nd of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 109% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
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
Toft Hill Primary School in detail
Toft Hill Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "It is my absolute pleasure and privilege to be the Headteacher of this warm welcoming primary school! We are very much a part of the village of Toft Hill and we value and are proud to be a part of our local community."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 84% of Year 6 pupils at Toft Hill Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 81% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in County Durham and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 74% 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 Toft Hill Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 30 families put Toft Hill Primary School as their first choice and 67 named it as one of their preferences, for 29 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Toft Hill Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Toft Hill Primary School are St Chad's Catholic Primary School, Witton Park (1 mile, Good, 75% reading, 75% maths); Copeland Road Primary School (1.6 miles); Escomb Primary School (1.6 miles, Requires improvement, 79% reading, 68% maths); and Ramshaw Primary School (1.6 miles, Good, 82% reading, 64% maths).
Toft Hill Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
St Chad's Catholic Primary School, Witton ParkCopeland Road Primary SchoolEscomb Primary SchoolRamshaw Primary School
What parents say
72 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Toft Hill Primary School (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 86% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (86%).
Who goes there
14.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 20 pupils (9.9%) received SEN support and 3 (1.5%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bishop Auckland West Weardale Rail Station, about 2.7 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Three Tuns West (w-bound), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 7 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in County Durham (84).
Suspensions and exclusions
Toft Hill 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; 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from February 2014, 12 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 December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Parents consistently praise the school's care and compassion, and it is highly valued by the local community. Teachers make learning fun and interesting, with pupils enthusiastically engaging in a wide range of outdoor play and learning activities. The school provides exceptional support for all learners, particularly those with special needs, ensuring every child is fully included and able to thrive.
Key Strengths
- Outstanding behaviour and attitudes, with pupils showing exemplary conduct and taking pride in their responsibilities
- Excellent personal development, equipping pupils with resilience, independence, empathy and responsibility
- Strong focus on reading, with phonics taught well and pupils showing genuine enthusiasm for books
- Exceptional support for pupils with SEND, who are fully included and able to access the curriculum
- Broad, ambitious curriculum that is logically sequenced and linked to the local community
Areas for Improvement
- Learning is not always precisely matched to pupils' individual abilities in different subjects, which can limit progress in some lessons
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with leaders creating an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Crafts clubs, computing clubs, sports competitions, local charity project visits, school council, play leaders, sports captains, outdoor adventure residential experience for Year 6, breakfast and after-school care
Toft Hill Primary School is a caring, nurturing school where pupils develop strong academic and social skills in a warm, welcoming environment. The school has excellent behaviour and personal development outcomes, with high aspirations for all pupils.
At a Glance
14.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
72 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 improved from 74% to 84% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 81% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 81% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.0
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
28.3
KS2
7
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Toft Hill Primary School
Before and after school care
Toft Hill Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in County Durham
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Toft Hill Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Toft 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
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 Toft Hill Primary School
Will you get a place at Toft Hill Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Toft Hill Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Toft Hill Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Toft 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 Toft 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
109%
Over capacity
199 pupils
182 places
17 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Bishop Auckland
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bishop Auckland
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
20
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
11.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
203
Total Pupils
105
Boys
98
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
22.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,986
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,353
Per pupil
£1175k
Total funding
£41k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.0%
Overall absence
5.9%
Persistent absence
170
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Toft Hill Primary School
What are SATs results like at Toft Hill Primary School?
Of the pupils at Toft Hill Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 84% reached the expected standard in reading and 81% did so in maths.
What is Toft Hill Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Toft Hill Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Toft Hill Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Toft 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 Toft Hill Primary School?
Toft Hill Primary School was full in 2025, at 109% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Toft Hill Primary School?
Classes at Toft Hill Primary School average 29 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Toft Hill Primary School?
Toft Hill Primary School has around 203 pupils on roll. 15% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Toft Hill Primary School?
4% of sessions were missed at Toft Hill Primary School in 2024/25. 5.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Toft Hill Primary School?
Apply through County Durham's coordinated admissions process, naming Toft 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.
Does Toft Hill Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Toft Hill Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Toft Hill Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Toft Hill Primary School?
Toft Hill Primary School is at Toft Hill, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 0JA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)