Belmont Cheveley Park Primary School Review 2026: High-performing Durham primary with an inclusive resource base

Strong outcomes and a clear sense of belonging define this Belmont primary. In England-wide primary performance measures, it ranks 870th, placing it well above England average (top 10%). Locally, it sits 5th in Durham for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data).

A distinctive feature is the school’s Enhanced Mainstream Provision for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, alongside a nursery and Reception pipeline that starts early with phonics groundwork. The most recent inspection confirmed a calm, safe culture and consistently good practice across all graded areas, including early years.

The school describes a team-based identity that pupils recognise and use, and external review evidence supports a friendly, settled picture. Pupils get on well with one another, behaviour is orderly, and staff do not allow low-level disruption to become normalised. Bullying is described as rare, and children are confident to speak to adults when issues arise.

Leadership is long enough established to have shaped culture and routines. Mrs Amy Goodwin has been headteacher since January 2018, and also serves as the designated safeguarding lead, which typically gives families a clear line of accountability and oversight for safeguarding practice and staff training.

Early years provision is not treated as an add-on. The pre-school provision opened in September 2015 and is described as popular, with sessions capped at 24 children and staffing levels stated as three to four staff per session. That scale usually suits children who benefit from predictable routines and higher adult presence, particularly in the transition into Reception.

The school’s 2024 Key Stage 2 picture is strong on the measures parents most often care about. In reading, writing and mathematics combined, 73.33% reached the expected standard, above the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 29.33% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics, well above the England average of 8%.

Scaled scores are also strong, with reading at 110, mathematics at 109, and grammar, punctuation and spelling at 109. In science, 76% met the expected standard (England average: 82%), which is the main area where outcomes are closer to the national picture.

On ranking context, this places the school among the strongest performers in England (top 10%). Ranked 870th in England and 5th in Durham for primary outcomes, this is a school whose results tend to justify its popularity. (FindMySchool ranking based on official data.)

Reading is treated as a core priority. Formal phonics teaching starts at the beginning of Reception, and the early years phase builds foundations earlier than many schools do, with explicit groundwork described in Nursery. The library is described as well used, and staff training in phonics is positioned as a key driver of consistency.

Curriculum planning is broadly aligned with the national curriculum, and leaders have been refining sequencing and assessment in subjects beyond the core. The most recent inspection identified curriculum mapping consistency as an area to keep tightening, particularly around clarity of purpose, sequencing, and checks of learning in some subjects. For parents, the implication is not that teaching is weak, but that the school is still standardising how knowledge builds year on year in every subject, not only the headline ones.

A second distinctive element is the Enhanced Mainstream Provision (EMP) for speech, language and communication needs. Pupils in EMP follow the same curriculum as their peers, with adaptations made through close working between mainstream staff and the EMP team, so inclusion is built into daily classroom practice rather than relying on withdrawal alone.

As a primary school, the key transition is into Year 7. For most families, destination planning is shaped by Durham’s secondary admissions routes and the geography of Durham City and surrounding villages. A practical approach is to map likely secondary options early, then keep an eye on transport and friendship-group patterns as Year 6 progresses.

Within the school, Year 6 includes structured preparation for the end of primary assessment, and enrichment remains visible alongside it. The after-school timetable includes SATs Booster provision for Year 6 by invitation, which indicates targeted support for pupils who would benefit from extra consolidation, while keeping the intervention focused rather than blanket.

Reception entry is coordinated through Durham County Council, rather than through direct school allocation. The school’s own admissions guidance explains that children are admitted full time at the beginning of the academic year in which they become five, and that parents complete the local authority preference process in the Autumn term of the year before entry.

Demand is a headline issue. For the most recent recorded Reception entry route, there were 54 applications for 22 offers, a subscription ratio of 2.45, meaning there were around two and a half applications per place. The school is therefore oversubscribed, and families should treat it as a competitive option rather than a default.

For September 2026 Reception entry in County Durham, the local authority timetable is clear: applications opened on 01 September 2025 and close at midnight on 15 January 2026, with offers issued on 16 April 2026. Late applications and changes are typically handled up to early March, then processed later in the cycle.

Open events and tours matter most when a school is heavily oversubscribed. The school’s admissions page indicates that open days and meetings form part of the transition programme, and that parents can request support for in-year admissions as well. If you are considering September entry, it is sensible to look for open events in the Autumn term pattern and then confirm current dates directly with the school.

Families comparing options should use the FindMySchool Map Search to understand local travel practicality, then use the Local Hub comparison view to see how nearby schools stack up on attainment and demand.

Safeguarding is treated as effective in the most recent inspection, and the leadership structure makes responsibilities transparent, with named safeguarding leads and a clear reporting chain.

Pupil wellbeing is supported through both culture and systems. The inspection evidence highlights pupil leadership roles and peer support structures, which can help younger pupils settle and can give older pupils purposeful responsibility. Attendance is also actively monitored, with systems described as swift when patterns begin to slide, which usually reflects a school that is attentive to early warning signs rather than waiting for issues to become entrenched.

For children with additional needs, the EMP structure is the standout feature. The school positions this as inclusion-first, with mainstream and EMP staff working together on adaptations. For families whose child needs speech and language support but benefits from mainstream social life, that balance can be a decisive factor.

Extracurricular choices are concrete and planned in blocks, with clubs running for half a term and rotating, which tends to broaden participation rather than letting a small group dominate the same activity all year.

The published 2025 to 2026 club overview includes activities such as Cooking (Years 3 and 4), Chess (Years 5 and 6), Drama (multiple year groups across different terms), Indoor and Board Games (Years 3 to 6), and Yoga and Mindfulness (Years 1 and 2). Sports provision is also explicit through coaching-led Football, Basketball, Cricket, and Tag Rugby, with age-banded groups that make sessions more appropriate for development stage.

The inspection evidence reinforces that this breadth is not superficial, referencing clubs and leadership responsibilities as part of the wider offer pupils value. For parents, the implication is that the school’s enrichment is organised enough to be predictable, while still changing often enough to keep interest high.

In early years, the pre-school description emphasises structured sessions, staffing presence, and close links to Reception. The most helpful way to assess fit is to ask how children transition from pre-school routines into Reception phonics and early writing, and how communication needs are supported in group settings.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. The school day runs from 8:45am to 3:30pm, with the week stated as 32 hours and 55 minutes.

Wraparound care is referenced through breakfast provision and a Tea Time Club option that can be used after after-school clubs. Details are set out in the school’s wraparound materials, and it is sensible to confirm current availability and booking arrangements as these can change year to year.

For travel planning, the Belmont location is convenient for Durham City access, but practical reality varies by family. A short route on paper can still be slow at peak times, so test the journey at drop-off hours where possible.

• Oversubscription reality. With 54 applications for 22 offers in the most recent Reception entry route data, admission is competitive. Families should keep a realistic Plan B and treat timing and application accuracy as non-negotiable.

• Curriculum consistency work still underway. External review evidence indicates leaders have been refining curriculum sequencing and assessment in some subjects, with consistency and clarity still being strengthened. For some families this is reassuring, it shows active improvement, but it is worth asking how subject leaders check that the intended curriculum is taught consistently across year groups.

• EMP fit needs careful discussion. The Enhanced Mainstream Provision is a major strength for speech, language and communication needs, but support works best when it is matched precisely to a child’s profile. Families should ask how adaptations work in class, what specialist input is available, and how progress is reviewed alongside mainstream expectations.

• Early years decisions should be values-led. The pre-school is described as structured and well staffed, with close links to Reception. This will suit many children, but families should consider whether their child responds best to structured sessions or needs a more flexible model, then explore how the setting balances both.

Belmont Cheveley Park Primary School combines strong academic outcomes with an inclusive model that is unusually explicit for a mainstream primary, particularly through its Enhanced Mainstream Provision for speech and language needs. The latest inspection supports a picture of a safe, orderly school where pupils behave well and feel comfortable seeking help.

Best suited to families who want above-average results in a relatively small primary, and who value structured early reading alongside a clearly defined inclusion pathway. The main constraint is admission demand, so families should approach it with a competitive mindset and a well-prepared application plan.