West Cornforth Primary School, Ferryhill
West Cornforth Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Ferryhill. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in September 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 7 schools in Ferryhill with published results, and 3,246th of 14,452 across England. It was 92% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2018)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
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
West Cornforth Primary School in detail
West Cornforth Primary School in its own words
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care.
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils at West Cornforth Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 88% 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 77% in reading and 68% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at West Cornforth Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 23 families put West Cornforth Primary School as their first choice and 35 named it as one of their preferences, for 23 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at West Cornforth Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to West Cornforth Primary School are Coxhoe Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 93% reading, 91% maths); Cleves Cross Primary and Nursery School Academy (1.2 miles, Outstanding, 90% reading, 87% maths); Broom Cottages Primary & Nursery School (1.6 miles, Good, 56% reading, 41% maths); and Dean Bank Primary and Nursery School (2 miles, Requires improvement, 60% reading, 56% maths).
West Cornforth Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Coxhoe Primary SchoolCleves Cross Primary and Nursery School AcademyBroom Cottages Primary & Nursery SchoolDean Bank Primary and Nursery School
Who goes there
51.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 3.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 43 pupils (17.1%) received SEN support and 3 (1.2%) 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
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of West Cornforth Primary School.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Market Place (w-bound), 120 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood West Cornforth Primary School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 36 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in County Durham (84).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, West Cornforth Primary School issued 18 suspensions, 7.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
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; 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 · 1 year agoThis judgement is from November 2018, 7 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 September 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
West Cornforth provides a calm, happy environment where children feel truly cared for and develop strong relationships with trusted adults. The school sets high expectations and celebrates success, helping pupils believe in themselves. With excellent enrichment activities, strong early reading teaching, and consistent behavior management, your child will have a well-rounded education.
Key Strengths
- Pupils are safe and happy with warm, respectful relationships throughout the school
- Early reading is taught with confidence using the school's chosen phonics programme
- Mathematics teaching builds knowledge through regular practice and effective checking of understanding
- Early years provision gives children a strong start with well-designed activities
- Pupils have excellent access to enrichment opportunities including clubs, trips, and leadership roles
Areas for Improvement
- Assessment in some subjects is not precise enough to clearly show how well pupils have learned or identify appropriate next steps
- Attendance remains too low for a significant number of pupils, causing them to miss important learning and enrichment opportunities
- Subsequent learning does not always address identified gaps or provide sufficient challenge in some subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Cookery, art, sports clubs, museum visits, local landmark trips, library visits, school leadership roles, community initiatives
West Cornforth Primary School is a Good school where pupils are safe, happy, and achieve well in a warm, supportive environment. The school offers a broad curriculum with strong early reading provision and good behavior management.
At a Glance
51.8%
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 improved from 77% to 83% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 68% to 88% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 74% to 92% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
31.0
Avg class size
1
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from West Cornforth Primary School
Newsletter 14th September 2026
12 Sep 2026
Newsletter 20th July 2026
22 Jul 2026
Newsletter Friday 1st April 2026
20 Jun 2026
Newsletter Friday 24th April 2026
20 Jun 2026
Newsletter Friday 20th June 2026
20 Jun 2026
Newsletter Friday 13th February 2026
13 Feb 2026
From West Cornforth Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with West Cornforth Primary School
Before and after school care
West Cornforth 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 West Cornforth Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. West Cornforth 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
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 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 West Cornforth Primary School
Will you get a place at West Cornforth Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against West Cornforth Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for West Cornforth Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to West Cornforth 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 West Cornforth 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
92%
Near capacity
194 pupils
210 places
16 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Ferryhill
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Ferryhill
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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(8)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
43
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
18.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
251
Total Pupils
128
Boys
123
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
20.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,704
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,434
Per pupil
£1454k
Total funding
£147k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.1%
Overall absence
14.5%
Persistent absence
172
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about West Cornforth Primary School
What are SATs results like at West Cornforth Primary School?
Of the pupils at West Cornforth Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 83% reached the expected standard in reading and 88% did so in maths.
What is West Cornforth Primary School's Ofsted rating?
West Cornforth Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2018, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for West Cornforth Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When West Cornforth 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 West Cornforth Primary School?
West Cornforth Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 92% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at West Cornforth Primary School?
Classes at West Cornforth Primary School average 31 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 West Cornforth Primary School?
West Cornforth Primary School has around 251 pupils on roll. 52% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at West Cornforth Primary School?
6.1% of sessions were missed at West Cornforth Primary School in 2024/25. 14.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to West Cornforth Primary School?
Apply through County Durham's coordinated admissions process, naming West Cornforth 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 West Cornforth Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
West Cornforth 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 West Cornforth Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 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 West Cornforth Primary School?
West Cornforth Primary School is at High Street, West Cornforth, Ferryhill, County Durham, DL17 9HP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)