School profile

Bernard Gilpin Primary School

Primary · Community school · Houghton le Spring, DH5 8DA

Outstanding

Map showing Bernard Gilpin Primary School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

Key stage 2 2024/25

#623 of 15,057

Better than 95% of schools in England

Ranked by pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Bernard Gilpin Primary School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 21 Sept 2022

Ofsted rating
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Early years
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhasePrimary
TypeCommunity school
Ages5 to 11
Pupils417
GenderMixed
Head teacherMr Andrew Bainbridge
Local authoritySunderland
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 108830.

Key stage 2 results

2024/25

Year 6 results in national curriculum tests and teacher assessments. The expected standard is the level pupils should reach by the end of primary school.

MeasureThis schoolSunderlandEngland
Expected standard in reading, writing and maths87%, better than England, better than Sunderland66%63%
Higher standard in reading, writing and mathsScore of 110 or more in reading and maths, greater depth in writing.28%, better than England, better than Sunderland11%8%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.110, better than England, better than Sunderland106106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.110, better than England, better than Sunderland105105
Average grammar, punctuation and spelling scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.112, better than England, better than Sunderland106105
Expected standard in reading92%, better than England, better than Sunderland77%76%
Expected standard in writing90%, better than England, better than Sunderland75%73%
Expected standard in maths93%, better than England, better than Sunderland77%75%
Pupils taking tests60--

Source: DfE, Compare school performance, Compare school performance 2024-2025.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils417
Girls188
Boys229
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.21.6%
First language not English1.9%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.420
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0.7%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.69
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.4
Average class size27.9

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
92.8%
Other White
1.7%
Other mixed
1.4%
White and Black African
0.7%
Indian
0.7%
African
0.7%
White and Asian
0.5%
Other ethnic group
0.5%
White and Black Caribbean
0.2%
Pakistani
0.2%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher19.9
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.15.6
Teachers (FTE)21
Teaching assistants (FTE)2.91
Support staff (FTE)9.38
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2520
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2518
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/250
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/252

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Reception)Places offered on national offer day.60
Applications (Reception)Includes every preference parents listed.108
First preference applications (Reception)Families who put this school as their first choice.63
First preference offers (Reception)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.58
Applications from another local authority (Reception)1

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolSunderlandEngland
Overall absence2.8%, better than England, better than Sunderland5.2%5.1%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.5.3%, better than England, better than Sunderland14.2%13.2%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.0%, better than England, better than Sunderland0.9%1%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate0%
Pupils with one or more suspensions0%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Bernard Gilpin Primary School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miNurseryHoughton Le Spring Nursery SchoolLocal authority nursery school
Outstanding
0.3 miSecondaryKepierAcademy converter
Good
0.4 miPrimarySt Michael's Catholic Primary School, HoughtonAcademy converter
Good
0.4 miPrimaryGillas Lane Primary AcademyAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miPrimaryBurnside Academy InspiresAcademy converter
Good
0.8 miPrimaryEppleton Academy Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.0 miPrimaryNewbottle Primary AcademyAcademy converter
Good
1.3 miPrimaryDubmire PrimaryAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.3 miPrimaryEast Rainton Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.6 miSecondaryHetton AcademyAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about Bernard Gilpin Primary School

What is Bernard Gilpin Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Bernard Gilpin Primary School is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, last inspected on 21 Sept 2022.

How does Bernard Gilpin Primary School rank in England?

Bernard Gilpin Primary School ranks 623 of 15,057 schools in England for Key stage 2 2024/25 (better than 95% of schools).

What are Bernard Gilpin Primary School's SATs results?

In 2024/25, 87% of pupils at Bernard Gilpin Primary School met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (England 63%).

How hard is it to get into Bernard Gilpin Primary School?

For Reception entry in 2026/27, Bernard Gilpin Primary School made 60 offers from 108 applications (1.8 per offer), and 58 of 63 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Bernard Gilpin Primary School?

Bernard Gilpin Primary School has 417 pupils aged 5 to 11.

What is the capacity of Bernard Gilpin Primary School?

Bernard Gilpin Primary School had 420 school places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Bernard Gilpin Primary School?

At Bernard Gilpin Primary School, the average class had 27.9 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 19.9 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Bernard Gilpin Primary School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Bernard Gilpin Primary School missed 2.8% of sessions (England 5.1%), and 5.3% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 13.2%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.