The best school in Northumberland

Eastlea Primary School is the best primary school in Northumberland, new results data shows.
Eastlea Primary School, in Cramlington, has been ranked the best primary school in Northumberland.Eastlea Primary School, in Cramlington, has been ranked the best primary school in Northumberland.
Eastlea Primary School, in Cramlington, has been ranked the best primary school in Northumberland.

The Cramlington school achieved well above average progress scores for Key Stage 2 in reading and mathematics and above average scores in writing.

Schools are awarded scores reflecting their pupils’ progress between KS1 and KS2 exams in three key subjects, taken at the ages of seven and 11.

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Cramlington Eastlea Primary School replaces Cambois Primary School as the highest-ranking school in Northumberland – though last year’s winner remains one of the best in the area.

Corbridge Middle School and Horton Grange Primary School also performed well.

At the other end of the scale, Central Primary School was bottom of the progress score rankings for last year.

Eastlea Primary School, in Northburn Lea, Cramlington, is a community school which accepts children aged three to 11.

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It has 178 registered pupils. Of them, 24 were 11 year olds eligible to take Key Stage 2 exams last year: 14 boys and 10 girls.

Pupils are expected to achieve scores of at least 100 in their Key Stage 2 exams. In Eastlea Primary School, the average grade awarded for reading was 108, for grammar, punctuation and spelling 110, and for maths 108.

The results mean that 75 per cent of pupils achieved the expected standard across the three subjects, and 13 per cent were high achievers.

As a result, the school achieved progress scores of 4.3 for reading, 2.5 for writing and 4.2 for mathematics, recognising the improvement students achieved in their final years of primary education. Scores of zero reflect average progress across schools, with positive and negative scores awarded for better or worse improvement in students’ grades.

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Factors in the school’s impressive performance included its better than average pupil to teacher ratio (16.4 pupils to each teacher) and relatively high teacher salaries (average GPB40,831) for the area.

The top 10 schools in Northumberland, according to their progress scores, were:

1) Cramlington Eastlea Primary School (4.3 in reading, 2.5 in writing and 4.2 in mathematics)

2) Corbridge Middle School (reading: 2.9, writing: 2.9, maths: 3.1)

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3) Horton Grange Primary School (reading: 2.5, writing: 3.7, maths: 2.0)

4) Cambois Primary School (reading: 4.4, writing: 0.7, maths: 2.9)

5) Allendale Primary School (reading: 3.3, writing: 4.3, maths: 0.1)

6) Meadowdale Academy (reading: 3.4, writing: 2.4, maths: 1.3)

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7) Ringway Primary School (reading: 3.9, writing: 0.1, maths: 2.5)

8) Dr Thomlinson Church of England Middle School (reading: 1.8, writing: 0.6, maths: 3.5)

9) Bedlington Station Primary School (reading: 0.6, writing: 4.1, maths: 0.3)

10) Cramlington Shanklea Primary School (reading: 1.2, writing: 2.0 and maths: 1.6)

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Meanwhile, at Central Primary School, average grades of 99 for reading, 101 for grammar, punctuation and spelling and 99 for mathematics meant the school received the lowest average progress scores in Northumberland.

In reading, writing and mathematics the school was awarded well below average progress scores.

The worst five schools in Northumberland, according to their average progress scores, were:

64) Central Primary School (-6.1 in reading, -4.4 in writing and -6.2 in mathematics)

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63) Malvin’s Close Academy (reading: -7.4, writing: -2.9, maths: -5.3)

62) Shilbottle Primary School (reading: -3.7, writing: -2.7, maths: -7.9)

61) Felton Church of England Primary School (reading: -3.0, writing: -3.1, maths: -7.8)

60) James Calvert Spence College (reading: -3.8, writing: -2.7, maths: -4.8)

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Pupils across Northumberland achieved below average Key Stage 2 results for England.

Average scores of 105 in reading, 105 in grammar, punctuation and spelling and 103 in mathematics meant the local authority ranked 133rd of England’s 152 authorities.

This was a drop from 123rd in 2016-17.