Schools by area › County Durham › Butterknowle Primary School
Butterknowle Primary School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Community school
Pinfold Lane, Butterknowle, Bishop Auckland DL13 5PB · durhamdalespartnership.co.uk · 01388 718369
On the mapSearch near DL13 5PB
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Feb 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 29%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. County Durham 62%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 54
- 64% of 84 places
- Local authority
- County Durham
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 20.4%
- First language not English
- 0%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 3 families put the school first and 3 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 29% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 0% 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 | |||
| ▼29% | 62% | ||
| ▼0% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▼97 | 106 | ||
| ▼98 | 105 | ||
| ▼96 | 105 | ||
hidden: too few pupils to publish
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Butterknowle Primary School on 10 February 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention
- Achievement: Needs attention
- Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard
- Personal development and well-being: Expected standard
- Early years: Expected standard
- Leadership and governance: Expected standard
- Inspected
- 10 Feb 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Needs attention |
| Achievement | Needs attention |
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Expected standard |
| Early years | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Sept 2023
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Sept 2023Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
May 2018Monitoring visit
Safeguarding Effective Sept 2013Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Jan 2012Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement
What parents said
83% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (18 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 83%
- Positive
- 78%
- Replies
- 18
- 36% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 83% who raised concerns
based on 2 parents (11%) whose child was bullied
based on 3 parents (17%) with SEND