Evenwood Church of England Primary School Review 2026: Small village primary with top-tier KS2 outcomes

A small Church of England primary where strong results sit alongside a distinctly community-rooted ethos. Evenwood serves pupils from age 3 to 11, including a nursery and early years provision, and it operates within a clear Christian vision framed as Life in all its fullness (John 10:10).

Academically, the recent published picture is striking. In 2024, 94.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well above the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 33.33% reached greater depth, compared with 8% across England. That blend of high attainment and depth matters, it suggests pupils are not only keeping up, but mastering content securely.

Leadership is shared across the trust, with Mrs Beth Dawson listed as Executive Headteacher, and a deputy headteacher leading day to day teaching and learning structures.

Evenwood’s identity is closely tied to its Anglican character. The school describes Christian values as shaping daily life, naming peace, love, respect, friendship and perseverance as key drivers. That is backed by formal denominational inspection, which graded the school Excellent overall and also rated collective worship Excellent.

The “small school” effect is likely to be a genuine feature here. The most recent official visit documents a roll of 78 pupils, which is well below many one-form entry primaries. For families, the implication is straightforward: children are more likely to be known well by staff, and relationships with parents tend to be direct and personal. It also means year groups can feel quite different from one another, and friendship dynamics can be intense in a very small cohort.

Support beyond the mainstream classroom is part of the visible structure. A Nurture Hub is referenced as a base used by some pupils, and the same official visit describes pupils with special educational needs and disabilities as fully included in school life. If your child benefits from structured pastoral or social support, it is a useful sign that the school has a named space and routine for it, rather than relying only on informal arrangements.

The 2024 key stage 2 outcomes are exceptionally high compared to national benchmarks:

• Expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined: 94.67% (England average: 62%)

• Higher standard combined: 33.33% (England average: 8%)

• Reading scaled score: 108

• Maths scaled score: 107

• GPS scaled score: 114

A high GPS score often correlates with explicit teaching of sentence structure, spelling patterns, and careful editing habits. When that is paired with strong reading and maths scores, it usually signals a school where basic skills are practised frequently and checked carefully.

On the FindMySchool ranking (based on official outcomes data), the school is ranked 558th in England for primary performance and 1st in the Bishop Auckland local area. This places it well above England average, within the top 10% of primary schools in England. (FindMySchool ranking).

For parents comparing options, this matters in two ways. First, it suggests pupils typically leave Year 6 well prepared for secondary expectations in reading comprehension and maths fluency. Second, it can create a high-expectations culture, which many children thrive in, but which may feel pressured for some, especially if a child needs more time to consolidate.

The most recent official review points to a curriculum that is deliberately planned around “important learning”, with staff focusing on what pupils need to remember. That emphasis is often the difference between pupils who can perform well immediately after a unit and pupils who can still retrieve knowledge months later.

Reading is treated as a priority, with investment and training in a phonics programme, daily phonics sessions, and targeted catch up for pupils who struggle. In a primary setting, the implication is significant: early decoding gaps tend to widen quickly if not addressed, and systematic phonics with quick intervention is one of the most reliable ways to prevent that.

There is also a clear area for development identified in the same visit: weaker recall of prior learning in some subjects, where pupils could remember recent work but were less secure on older content. For families, it is worth asking how the school now revisits earlier units, for example through low stakes quizzes, retrieval starters, or end of term knowledge checks.

As a village primary in County Durham, most transitions will be shaped by the local secondary landscape and transport practicality. Evenwood sits within the Durham local authority, and families should expect the usual pattern of applying through the coordinated local authority process for secondary transfer.

What the school does appear to prioritise is aspiration and leadership development before pupils leave. Pupils are described as taking up roles in school parliament and serving as buddies to younger pupils, alongside trips designed to broaden horizons. The practical benefit is confidence: children who have practised responsibility and public roles at primary often settle into Year 7 routines more quickly.

If you want a clearer sense of destinations, ask directly what secondaries most Year 6 pupils move on to in a typical year, and whether any structured transition work is in place with those schools.

This is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. Admissions for Reception are run through the local authority coordinated system, even for children already in the school’s nursery.

For September 2026 Reception entry in County Durham, applications opened on Monday 01 September 2025, the closing date was Thursday 15 January 2026, and National Offer Day was Thursday 16 April 2026.

Evenwood’s published admissions policy for 2026 to 2027 sets an intake of up to 15 pupils in Reception each year. If oversubscribed, priority is broadly: children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, looked after or previously looked after children, exceptional medical or social need, siblings, then distance by a safe walking route measure, with a tie break using straight line distance.

Demand is real, even with a small intake. For the most recent recorded primary entry route there were 13 applications for 9 offers, and the route is marked oversubscribed. In a small school, a handful of extra applications can make the difference between getting a place and landing on a waiting list, so families should treat timelines seriously.

Nursery provision and how it links to Reception

Nursery is not an automatic route into Reception, and the school is explicit about how places work. Nursery places are applied for directly to the school and are held on a waiting list, with 15 hour and 30 hour early education places linked to eligibility and evidence checks.

The key point for parents is practical: a nursery place does not remove the need to submit the local authority Reception application by the deadline.

The most recent official visit describes pupils feeling safe, staff listening to them, and positive routines supporting good behaviour. For many families, that is the baseline they want: calm expectations, consistency, and adults who notice issues early.

Several structures visible on the staffing list reinforce this picture, including a designated safeguarding lead role within the senior team, a deputy DSL, and a Parent Support Adviser role. The Nurture Hub adds an extra layer for pupils who need help regulating emotions, rebuilding confidence, or managing the social side of school.

If you are comparing schools for a child with emerging needs, ask how Nurture Hub time is allocated, how progress back into class learning is managed, and how parents are updated.

Evenwood’s wider offer is not presented as a generic club list, it has specific programmes and roles that shape daily experience.

Play is taken seriously, with an OPAL Play Lead named in the staffing structure. OPAL schools typically treat playtimes as planned and resourced parts of the day rather than downtime. For pupils, that can mean fewer fallouts at lunch, more active play options, and better readiness to learn in the afternoon.

Physical activity is supported with targeted spending and named club examples, including tag rugby and dodgeball, plus a UV dodgeball element referenced in impact reporting. The implication is breadth, children who are not drawn to mainstream team sports still have structured options to try.

Outdoor learning also appears embedded, with a Forest School Lead listed among staff responsibilities. For many pupils, especially those who learn best through doing, this can be a powerful complement to classroom routines.

The school day is clearly structured. Gates open at 08.40 for an 08.50 start, and the day ends at 15.20. The published timetable includes separate routines for two year olds, early years, and key stage 1 and 2, and the compulsory week totals 32.5 hours.

The school states it opens for a free breakfast club at 08.00, and after school clubs run until 16.15.

Term dates are published for 2025 to 2026, including staff training days at the start of September 2025 and in July 2026.

For travel, most families will be thinking in terms of village walking routes, drop off by car, and local bus links into nearby towns. If you are weighing up feasibility, use FindMySchoolMap Search to sanity check travel times and routine practicality alongside admissions criteria.

• Very small intake. Reception intake is set at up to 15 pupils. In a small cohort, friendship groups can be tight, and a child who struggles socially may need more active support to settle.

• Oversubscription risk. The route is marked oversubscribed, and admissions prioritise siblings and distance once higher priority criteria are met. Families outside the immediate area should keep alternative options live.

• Curriculum recall consistency. The most recent official review highlights that pupils could be less secure recalling earlier learning in some subjects. It is worth asking what has changed to strengthen retrieval across the year.

• Church school character. The Christian vision and collective worship are central and externally graded highly. Families of any faith or none can apply, but you should expect the ethos to be visible in assemblies, language, and community activity.

Evenwood Church of England Primary School combines a clear values-led identity with outcomes that stand out well above England averages. The small scale is part of the appeal, it can bring closeness and attention, but it also raises the stakes on fit and peer dynamics.

Who it suits: families who want a village primary with strong academic results, a distinctly Christian vision, and structured routines from early years onwards. The main challenge is admission competition in a small intake, so plan early and keep realistic back up options.