Primary · Academy converter · Barnard Castle, DL12 8JR
Key stage 2 2024/25
#1,521 of 15,057
Better than 89% of schools in England
Ranked by pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 27 Nov 2019
Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 149058.
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.
| Measure | This school | County Durham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 81%, better than England, better than County Durham | 62% | 63% |
| Higher standard in reading, writing and mathsScore of 110 or more in reading and maths, greater depth in writing. | 31%, better than England, better than County Durham | 8% | 8% |
| Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard. | 111, better than England, better than County Durham | 105 | 106 |
| Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard. | 109, better than England, better than County Durham | 104 | 105 |
| Average grammar, punctuation and spelling scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard. | 109, better than England, better than County Durham | 105 | 105 |
| Expected standard in reading | 94%, better than England, better than County Durham | 74% | 76% |
| Expected standard in writing | 88%, better than England, better than County Durham | 73% | 73% |
| Expected standard in maths | 94%, better than England, better than County Durham | 73% | 75% |
| Pupils taking tests | 16 | - | - |
Source: DfE, Compare school performance, Compare school performance 2024-2025.
Pupils at the January school census.
| Measure | This school |
|---|---|
| Total pupils | 103 |
| Girls | 49 |
| Boys | 54 |
| Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals. | 22.3% |
| First language not English | 3.9% |
| School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery. | 105 |
| Pupils excluding nurseryPupils who take up school places. | 96 |
| Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken. | 8.6% |
| SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school. | 28 |
| EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs. | 2 |
| Average class size | 26.5 |
Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.
Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.
Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.
Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.
| Measure | This school |
|---|---|
| Pupils per teacher | 25.5 |
| Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants. | 13.9 |
| Teachers (FTE) | 4 |
| Teaching assistants (FTE) | 3.35 |
| Support staff (FTE) | 7.09 |
| Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/25 | 5 |
| Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/25 | 3 |
| Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/25 | 1 |
| Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/25 | 1 |
Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.
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.
| Measure | This school |
|---|---|
| Offers made (Reception)Places offered on national offer day. | 14 |
| Applications (Reception)Includes every preference parents listed. | 43 |
| First preference applications (Reception)Families who put this school as their first choice. | 11 |
| First preference offers (Reception)First-choice applicants who were offered a place. | 11 |
| Applications from another local authority (Reception) | 1 |
Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.
Share of possible sessions missed.
| Measure | This school | County Durham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall absence | 4.7%, similar to England, better than County Durham | 5.3% | 5.1% |
| Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions. | 15.9%, worse than England, similar to County Durham | 14% | 13.2% |
| Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions. | 0%, better than England, better than County Durham | 0.9% | 1% |
Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.
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.
| Measure | This school |
|---|---|
| Suspension rate | 1% |
| Pupils with one or more suspensions | 1% |
| Permanent exclusion rate | 0% |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 |
Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.
Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.
| Distance | Phase | Name | Type | Rating | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.3 mi | Not applicable | Barnard Castle School | Other independent school | Unrated Unrated. | |
| 0.4 mi | Primary | Montalbo Nursery & Primary School | Community school | Outstanding Ofsted rating. Inspected 11 Jan 2023. | |
| 0.5 mi | Primary | Green Lane Church of England Primary School | Academy converter | Good Ofsted rating. Inspected 9 May 2013. | |
| 0.6 mi | Secondary | Teesdale School and Sixth Form | Academy sponsor led | Outstanding Ofsted rating. Inspected 18 Jun 2019. |
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Barnard Castle is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 27 Nov 2019.
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Barnard Castle ranks 1,521 of 15,057 schools in England for Key stage 2 2024/25 (better than 89% of schools).
In 2024/25, 81% of pupils at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Barnard Castle met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (England 63%).
For Reception entry in 2026/27, St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Barnard Castle made 14 offers from 43 applications (3.1 per offer), and 11 of 11 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Barnard Castle has 103 pupils aged 3 to 11.
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Barnard Castle had 105 school places in 2024/25.
At St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Barnard Castle, the average class had 26.5 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 25.5 pupils per teacher.
In 2025/26, pupils at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Barnard Castle missed 4.7% of sessions (England 5.1%), and 15.9% 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.