Whale Hill Primary School, Middlesbrough

Ofsted's report card from its 20 January 2026 inspection grades Whale Hill Primary School on 7 areas: 6 strong standard and 1 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils achieve consistently well over time."

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Pupils' attendance is consistently above national figures."

Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum with a clear focus on developing pupils' vocabulary."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Whale Hill is an inclusive school where pupils thrive."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders, governors and trust leaders are inspirational."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders carefully consider pupils' wider development."

Early years - Expected standard. "Children make a positive start to early years."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should ensure that the quality of staff's interactions with children is consistently high across the early years, so that children's vocabulary is extended and their learning is maximised and embedded".

In its own words: "We are always looking for new ways to improve our school and have exciting new projects for our children to be involved with and engaged in. This year we are looking at lots of ways we can raise funds to use in school. To learn more about our lunchtime provision, please visit our OPAL page ."

From the headteacher's welcome: "We are a busy but friendly school, with lots going on. Please feel free to contact the school direct with any queries you may have or if you require a paper copy or alternative version of any documents on this site."

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care.

In 2025, 93% of Year 6 pupils at Whale Hill Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 94% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 78% in Redcar and Cleveland and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 86% in reading and 90% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 59 families put Whale Hill Primary School as their first choice and 70 named it as one of their preferences, for 62 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Whale Hill Primary School are Caedmon Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 74% reading, 79% maths); St Mary's Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 52% reading, 59% maths); Bankfields Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 90% reading, 90% maths); and Grangetown Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 70% reading, 65% maths).

Whale Hill Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Whale Hill Primary School is one of 4 schools run by Steel River Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 74% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

14 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Whale Hill Primary School (as of April 2026): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (86%).

46.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 1.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 70 pupils (15.2%) received SEN support and 11 (2.4%) 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.

The nearest railway station is South Bank Rail Station, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Rudland Walk (a), 120 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Whale Hill 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 321 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 Redcar and Cleveland (174), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Whale Hill Primary School issued 1 suspension, 0.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Whale Hill Primary School are Outwood Academy Normanby (0.8 miles) and St Peter's Catholic College (1.3 miles).