Schools by area › County Durham › Kirk Merrington Primary School
Kirk Merrington Primary School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 4–11 · Community school
South View, Kirk Merrington, South View, Spennymoor DL16 7JB · kirkmerrington.durham.sch.uk · 01388 816230
On the mapSearch near DL16 7JB
Overview
- Ofsted
- Outstanding
- 2019 framework · inspected Mar 2024
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 83%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. County Durham 62%, England 62%
- Last distance offered
- 1.89 mi
- 3.04 km · Reception, September 2026 entry · County Durham Council
- Demand for places
- 1.4
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 180
- 2 over 178 places · 101%
- Local authority
- County Durham
- Nursery class
- No
- Free school meals
- 11.7%
- First language not English
- 0%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, the last place offered on distance went to a home 1.89 mi (3.04 km) from the school. Source: County Durham Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 36 families put the school first and 25 places were offered; 67% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 25 | 36 | 1.4▲ | 67% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 25 | 35 | 1.4▲ | 71% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 25 | 26 | 1▲ | 96% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 25 | 26 | 1▲ | 88% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 25 | 26 | 1▲ | 85% |
Last distance offered
| Reception | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 1.89 mi3.04 km | |
Results
In 2024/25, 83% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 6% the higher standard. Across County Durham it was 62%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲83% | 62% | ||
| ●6% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●107 | 106 | ||
| ●107 | 105 | ||
| ●107 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
Kirk Merrington Primary School was judged Outstanding at its last graded inspection, on 5 March 2024, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Outstanding
- Inspected
- 5 Mar 2024
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Outstanding |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
| Early years | Outstanding |
Previously: Outstanding, graded inspection, Dec 2011
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Dec 2011Outstanding
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Outstanding Early years Good Jan 2007Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good
What parents said
97% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (67 replies, to 6 January 2025).
- Recommend
- 97%
- Replies
- 67
- 41% · 6 Jan 2025
based on the 64% who raised concerns
based on the 25% who had a child bullied
based on 12 parents (18%) with SEND