Schools by area › County Durham › St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Esh Village
St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Esh Village
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Academy
Esh Village, Durham DH7 9QY · stmichaelsesh.bwcet.com · 0191 373 1205
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected May 2022
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 81%
- 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
- 203
- 7 over 196 places · 104%
- Local authority
- County Durham
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 13.9%
- First language not English
- 0.5%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 23 families put the school first and 23 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 | 23 | 23 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 27 | 24 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 23 | 23 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 14 | 13 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 26 | 26 | 1 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 81% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 10% 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 | |||
| ▲81% | 62% | ||
| ●10% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▲110 | 106 | ||
| ●107 | 105 | ||
| ▲108 | 105 | ||
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 114252)
Ofsted
St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Esh Village was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 17 May 2022, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 17 May 2022
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
Previously: Outstanding, graded inspection, Mar 2007
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 114252), which Ofsted links to this one.
Before September 2019
Mar 2007Outstanding
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years Outstanding Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 114252)
What parents said
94% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (49 replies, to 2 April 2023).
- Recommend
- 94%
- Replies
- 49
- 31% · 2 Apr 2023
based on the 69% who raised concerns
based on the 20% who had a child bullied