Wearhead Primary School, Bishop Auckland
Wearhead Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Bishop Auckland. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. It was 21% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Capacity
- 21% full
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to County Durham (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Wearhead Primary School in detail
Getting a place at Wearhead Primary School
Across County Durham, 97% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.
Admissions history and your chances at Wearhead Primary School
Who goes there
0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 3 pupils (27.3%) 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 autism.
Staffing
Wearhead Primary School had 3 teachers in 2026, one for every 4 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 Wearhead Primary School.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Post Office (n-bound), 200 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 County Durham (84).
Suspensions and exclusions
Wearhead Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from July 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils at Wearhead thrive as part of a tightly knit and nurturing school community. In this very small school, positive relationships abound. Everyone in the school 'family' looks out for one another. Pupils welcome visitors with wide smiles. Staff know the pupils exceptionally well. Pupils are treated as unique individuals. They are happy and safe. Well-trained staff ensure that this is the case.
The school has high expectations of pupils. Through effective pastoral and academic support, pupils achieve well both socially and academically. Pupils at Wearhead enjoy many opportunities to mix with pupils from other federation schools. These include regular lessons together as well as educational visits and residentials. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Pupils benefit from an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum. Staff craft engaging lessons. Pupils also benefit from focused support from adults. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Bespoke one-to-one teaching opportunities ensure that pupils get the support they need to succeed.
Leaders have carefully considered how to teach children effectively in mixed-age classes. On 'federation days', pupils from Wearhead Primary travel to another neighbouring federation school. On these days, pupils benefit from being taught with their age group peers. They receive targeted teaching across the curriculum to enhance their learning. The curriculum is well sequenced to help pupils build knowledge over time. However, the ways in which teachers check pupils have understood their learning are under development. Staff are not always sure that pupils have secured each step in their learning.
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 July 2019 inspection - down from Outstanding.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
18.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
5.5
Avg class size
6.0
KS2
2
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Wearhead Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Wearhead Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Wearhead 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)
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 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 Wearhead Primary School
Will you get a place at Wearhead Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Wearhead Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Wearhead Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Wearhead 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 Wearhead Primary School for 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025 and 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
21%
Available places
12 pupils
56 places
44 spare places 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.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
3
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
27.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
11
Total Pupils
6
Boys
5
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
3
Teachers
3.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,443
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£18,227
Per pupil
£279k
Total funding
£3k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.8%
Overall absence
0.0%
Persistent absence
15
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Wearhead Primary School
What is Wearhead Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Wearhead Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Wearhead Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Wearhead 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 Wearhead Primary School?
Wearhead Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 21% of its 56 places.
How big are the classes at Wearhead Primary School?
Classes at Wearhead Primary School average 5.5 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Wearhead Primary School?
Wearhead Primary School has around 11 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Wearhead Primary School?
4.8% of sessions were missed at Wearhead Primary School in 2024/25. 0% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Wearhead Primary School?
Apply through County Durham's coordinated admissions process, naming Wearhead 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 Wearhead 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 County Durham is 5 (the median across 280 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Wearhead Primary School?
Wearhead Primary School is at Wearhead, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL13 1BN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)