Eastlea Primary School Review 2026: A small Cramlington primary with big Key Stage 2 outcomes

The headline Key Stage 2 picture is strong. In 2024, 84% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 39.33% reached greater depth across reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%. Those are not marginal differences, they indicate a cohort doing well both at the expected threshold and at the top end.

Scaled scores add detail to that headline. Reading averaged 109, mathematics 107, and grammar, punctuation and spelling (GPS) 107. The combined reading, GPS and maths score totalled 323. These figures align with a school where core skills are taught explicitly and revisited often enough to stick.

Rankings should be treated as one lens, not the whole story, but they help with context. Ranked 2,302nd in England and 1st in Cramlington for primary outcomes, this places Eastlea above the England average, and comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). Parents comparing local schools can use the FindMySchool local hub and comparison tool to view results side by side, especially useful when schools have very different cohort sizes or demographics.

A reasonable reading of this profile is that Eastlea is doing two things at once. First, getting the majority to the expected standard; second, pushing a meaningful slice into higher standard attainment. For many families, that combination matters more than any single indicator because it suggests both secure fundamentals and stretch for higher attainers.

The January 2025 inspection report describes a broad and ambitious curriculum, with children leaving Reception building strong foundations in early reading and numeracy. That early-years emphasis is important because Key Stage 2 outcomes are usually built on what happens before Year 3, phonics, number sense, vocabulary, and the confidence to talk about learning.

Reading is positioned as a whole-school priority. Pupils are described as understanding its importance, reading widely and often, and engaging with reading goals and challenges. The key practical point for parents is that this sounds like a school that treats reading as daily practice, not just a lesson slot. When some pupils need extra support to become fluent, the report describes timely additional support, including for some pupils with special educational needs and or disabilities (SEND).

A useful detail in the same report is that, in some subjects, checks on what pupils know and remember are not used to sufficient effect, which can make it harder to ensure knowledge builds consistently across every subject area. In plain terms, the school’s improvement work is not about fixing a broken core, it is about tightening assessment and retrieval routines so teaching is equally strong across the whole curriculum.

Nursery and Reception timetables also indicate a structured start. Nursery 15-hour provision is described as morning sessions, and the school day timings make clear that learning starts as soon as children arrive, with late marks after 9am. For parents, that is a gentle signal that punctuality and routines are taken seriously from the start.

As a Cramlington primary, Eastlea describes a clear main pathway at age 11. The school’s prospectus states that there is one secondary school in Cramlington, Cramlington Learning Village, and that the vast majority of pupils transfer there at the end of Year 6, supported by partnership links.

That kind of established relationship can make transition smoother, particularly for pupils who benefit from familiar faces, consistent messages about behaviour expectations, and well-rehearsed induction routines. Parents who are planning several years ahead should still check the latest secondary admissions arrangements for their address, but it is helpful to know the school’s stated default route rather than having to infer it.

Because this school has nursery provision, there is also a “next step” earlier on. Nursery entry is described as the term after a child’s third birthday, with introductory sessions held before children start. For families, that matters because it means there is usually an intentional handover into the setting, rather than a cold start on day one.

Reception admissions are aligned with Northumberland County Council processes. Eastlea states that Reception children are normally admitted in the September following their fourth birthday, and that the school’s admissions number is 30.

Demand is a real feature here. In the latest year of admissions data, there were 79 applications for 28 offers, and the school is recorded as oversubscribed. Put simply, families should assume competition for places, even for a single-form school. Where that often plays out is in the fine print of the local authority’s oversubscription criteria and how distance, siblings, and other priority groups are applied.

Key dates matter, especially for families who are new to the system. For September 2026 Reception entry in Northumberland, the local authority timeline shows applications opening on 1 November 2025 and closing on 15 January 2026, with offers released on 16 April 2026. Given today’s date, the on-time deadline has passed, so late applicants should check the current late application route and in-year processes with the local authority.

Nursery admissions are different. Eastlea’s website states that a nursery application form is required, and that forms are filed in the order received for different nursery intakes. It also describes 15-hour and 30-hour models, depending on eligibility for the extended entitlement. Parents considering nursery should treat that “order received” approach as a prompt to enquire early, particularly if you are aiming for a specific start term.

If you are trying to work out how realistic a Reception place might be from your address, tools that calculate straight-line distance can help you sense-check. Parents can use the FindMySchool map search to check distances accurately, then compare with the local authority’s allocation rules for the relevant year.

The January 2025 inspection report describes strong relationships between pupils and staff, and older pupils supporting younger children, including those in nursery. In a primary, that relational security is often the foundation of both behaviour and learning, pupils are more likely to take risks in writing, attempt difficult maths, or read aloud when they feel safe and known.

Behaviour is described as calm, with pupils following rules and showing good conduct and manners at social times. The report also notes staff being trained to support pupils to manage emotions, and the school working successfully with families to improve attendance, described as above the national average. For parents, the practical implication is that there is likely a consistent behaviour approach, and that attendance is treated as a shared responsibility rather than simply a compliance issue.

Personal development is also given weight. The inspection report references learning about online safety and healthy living, exposure to different faiths and cultures, and a careers week with visitors. That last point might surprise some parents at primary level, but in practice it often looks like broadening horizons and introducing community roles rather than pushing early career decisions.

Extracurricular breadth is an area where the school provides unusually concrete examples. The inspection report highlights a broad programme of enrichment activities, with rock band, Irish dancing, circus skills and gardening described as particularly popular. For a primary, those are not generic add-ons, they represent very different kinds of learning, performance, coordination, teamwork, patience, and practical responsibility for living things.

The school also publishes club detail by term, which is helpful because it lets parents see the offer rather than relying on a vague promise. Examples include Irish dancing after school for Reception to Year 6, circus skills for younger year groups, street dance before school for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 across different slots, football clubs at lunchtime, a running club, and net games for older pupils. This mix tends to suit a wide range of personalities, not just the keenest sports pupils.

Enrichment is also tied to rewards and experiences. The inspection report references “golden days” as a reward mechanism, with an example of a pantomime visit in Newcastle. In practical terms, that suggests the school uses a whole-school incentive structure, which can be motivating for many pupils, but parents may want to understand what the school expects in return, attendance, behaviour points, or consistent effort.

A final detail worth noting is the way enrichment connects back to learning. During the inspection, a visiting scientist worked with pupils on robotics, including programming and discussions about how similar technology is used in space exploration. That is a strong example of enrichment functioning as curriculum extension, not just entertainment, and it aligns with the high attainment story in the core subjects.

The school day finishes at 3.15pm, with pupils welcomed in from 8.45am and late marks after 9am, totalling 32.5 hours per week. Nursery hours differ, with 15-hour morning sessions published as 8.50am to 11.50am.

Breakfast club is offered, and school communications reference a breakfast club window starting at 7.30am. Details of after-school care are not fully set out in one central place on the school site, so parents who need wraparound beyond the school day should ask directly what is on offer and whether provision is school-run or delivered by an external partner.

Term dates are published for the academic year, including staff training days and holiday closures, which helps families planning childcare and travel.

• Competition for places. The school is recorded as oversubscribed, with 79 applications for 28 offers in the latest admissions data. If you are aiming for Reception entry, treat the local authority timeline and criteria as essential reading, not optional admin.

• Deadline sensitivity for Reception entry. For September 2026, the on-time closing date in Northumberland was 15 January 2026, which has already passed. Late applications can still be considered, but outcomes are less predictable, so act quickly and follow the local authority’s late application route.

• Curriculum consistency as the next improvement step. The January 2025 inspection report identifies that, in a minority of subjects, checking what pupils know and remember is not used to sufficient effect. For most families this is a “fine-tuning” issue, but it is still worth asking how the school is tightening assessment and retrieval beyond English and maths.

• Wraparound clarity. Breakfast club is referenced, but families who need after-school coverage should confirm times, provider, and availability for different ages, especially for nursery and Reception.

Eastlea Primary School combines a settled leadership story with a strong Key Stage 2 profile, and inspection evidence that points to calm behaviour, secure safeguarding and a curriculum that is working well. The enrichment offer is unusually specific for a small primary, with activities like rock band, circus skills, Irish dancing and gardening giving pupils varied ways to grow confidence and skill.

Who it suits: families who value high attainment in the core, prefer a smaller single-form structure, and want a clear local transition route into Cramlington Learning Village. The main challenge is admission, demand is real, and deadlines matter.