Whitfield CofE Primary School, Hexham

Ofsted's report card from its 27 January 2026 inspection grades Whitfield CofE Primary School on 7 areas: 3 expected standard and 4 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Pupils' regular attendance and daily punctuality are given the very highest priority by leaders, including trustees."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Whitfield CofE Primary is an inclusive school that supports pupils who face barriers to their learning and wellbeing successfully."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school prioritises pupils' personal development and wellbeing."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Published data indicates pupils' attainment is too low in the Year 1 phonics screening check, the Year 4 multiplication tables check and at the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Pupils do not learn to read early enough."

Early years - Needs attention. "On occasion, children do not have access to the correct writing tools, such as chubby pencils."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Overall, the school's leaders, including at governance level, have not acted with sufficient speed to improve pupils' outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should make sure that all staff have high expectations of what children in the early years can do. They should make sure that learning activities provide children with sufficient challenge, especially in the acquisition of the knowledge and foundational skills needed to become fluent early readers and legible early writers. • Leaders should ensure that improving the attainment and progress of pupils in key stages 1 and 2 in reading, writing and mathematics is of the very highest priority and that the impact of the recently implemented improvement initiatives is evaluated incisively and regularly. • Leaders should check carefully that their strategies to improve the core and foundation subject curriculums, including by raising the expectations of all staff, are having the intended impact".

In its own words: "Children are not supervised by school staff before this time therefore remain under the supervision of parents."

The school runs a breakfast club from 8:00am and after-school care.

For September 2026 entry, 3 families put Whitfield CofE Primary School as their first choice and 4 named it as one of their preferences, for 3 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Whitfield CofE Primary School are Henshaw Church of England Primary School (3.8 miles, 78% reading, 78% maths); Allendale Primary School (4.1 miles, Good, 65% reading, 59% maths); and Shaftoe Trust Academy (5.4 miles, Good, 53% reading, 82% maths).

Whitfield CofE Primary School is one of 13 schools run by The Good Shepherd Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 49% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

16 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Whitfield CofE 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 (94%).

9.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 1 pupils (4.5%) received SEN support and 1 (4.5%) 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 autism.

Whitfield CofE Primary School had 3 teachers in 2026, one for every 7 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Whitfield CofE Primary School.

In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Northumberland (44).

Whitfield CofE Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.