Egglescliffe Church of England Primary School Review 2026: Elite KS2 outcomes; faith-led primary with nursery

For a state primary, the headline results here are unusual. At Key Stage 2, 92.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, and 47.33% achieved the higher standard. This places the school among the highest-performing primaries in England (top 2%), based on FindMySchool rankings drawn from official data, and it ranks 1st locally in Stockton-on-Tees on the same measure.

Day-to-day, the school’s identity is shaped by its Church of England character and its place within the Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning Trust, an academy trust it joined in November 2017. The most recent Ofsted inspection (12 to 13 January 2022) confirmed the school continues to be Good, and safeguarding arrangements were found to be effective.

The school’s tone is purposeful and calm, with high expectations of behaviour and a strong emphasis on respectful relationships. Pupils are given structured ways to contribute to school life, including leadership roles for older pupils, buddying systems for younger children, and positions such as house captains and school councillors. That focus on responsibility matters in practice, because it tends to reduce low-level disruption and gives pupils visible models of how to behave in lessons and at play.

As a Church of England school, faith is present but not framed as exclusive. A prayer space is available, and pupils are supported to reflect on beliefs in a way that is open to children of different backgrounds. The most recent published SIAMS inspection (March 2019) describes a Christian vision centred on “letting your light shine” and a values language that is intended to be accessible across the whole community. For families who actively want a faith-shaped primary education without assuming every household is practising, that balance is often a deciding factor.

Leadership and governance are also part of the school’s identity. The head teacher is Mrs Emma Robertson (also listed as Head Teacher, Mrs E. Robertson on the school website). The wider governance model is trust-led, with local academy councillors. For parents, the practical implication is that policies, curriculum development, and school improvement support sit within a wider trust structure, rather than being entirely standalone.

The data paints a very strong picture at the end of Year 6. In reading, writing and mathematics combined, 92.67% reached the expected standard. The England average is 62%, so the gap is substantial. At the higher standard, 47.33% reached greater depth across reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%. Those higher-standard figures suggest this is not only a school where most pupils meet the benchmark, but also one that stretches higher attainers effectively.

Scaled scores reinforce the same pattern. Reading is 110, mathematics is 112, and grammar, punctuation and spelling is 113, with a combined total of 335. These are materially above typical national benchmarks for scaled scores.

Rankings align with outcomes. The school is ranked 112th in England for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), and it ranks 1st in Stockton-on-Tees on the same measure. This places it among the highest-performing in England (top 2%).

A key point for parents interpreting results is consistency across subjects. The expected standard is high not only in reading and mathematics (both 93% plus), but also in science (93%) and grammar, punctuation and spelling (93%). That breadth can indicate a curriculum that does not narrow too early to tested domains, even while maintaining high performance in the core.

Reading sits at the centre of the school’s approach. Phonics starts from early years, with staff trained to deliver a chosen programme consistently, and pupils reading books matched to the sounds they already know. The implication is straightforward. Early accuracy and fluency reduces the risk of later gaps in comprehension, and it also supports wider curriculum access, because pupils can read with enough confidence to learn independently.

Mathematics is built with deliberate sequencing and frequent retrieval. Regular recap opportunities help pupils retain prior learning, and assessment is used to check what pupils have remembered, particularly in the areas leaders prioritise. In early years, the same approach is visible but delivered through play and practical tasks, with counting, number recognition, and early measurement integrated into day-to-day activity.

In the wider curriculum, strengths and development needs are both clear. Some subjects are carefully sequenced, including art, and curriculum structure is used to build knowledge over time. At the last inspection, geography planning was still being embedded, with curriculum overviews not yet complete and assessment not yet sharply aligned to what had been taught. For parents, the practical takeaway is not that pupils are receiving weak geography teaching, but that the school identified a structural improvement area and was expected to tighten sequencing and assessment so teachers can see precisely what pupils know and can do across the full breadth of the curriculum.

As a primary with pupils up to age 11, the key transition point is Year 6 to Year 7. For most families, secondary transfer will be through Stockton-on-Tees coordinated admissions, with choices shaped by a mixture of travel practicality, admissions priorities, and preferred school ethos.

For children who have benefited from high attainment and strong academic stretch at primary, the most important transition question is not only “where will my child go”, but “what kind of learning environment will keep them progressing”. Families often look for secondaries with strong literacy support, clear behaviour systems, and a broad curriculum that continues to challenge higher attainers, rather than relying on early secondary repetition.

Where the school can add value is preparation for change. A culture that builds pupil responsibility through roles such as buddies and leadership positions tends to help pupils arrive at secondary more confident in routines, expectations, and self-management. That matters because Year 7 success often depends as much on organisation and independence as it does on raw attainment at the end of Year 6.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Entry to Reception is coordinated through Stockton-on-Tees, with a standard application window and an offer day in April. For children starting primary in September 2026, the published local authority deadline was 15 January 2026. Offers were scheduled for 16 April 2026 (or the next working day).

Demand indicators suggest this is a competitive option. The most recent admissions demand data available shows 59 applications for 30 offers at the main entry point, and the route is recorded as oversubscribed, with close to two applications per place. The proportion of first preferences to first preference offers is also above 1, which typically signals that the school is not only popular, but specifically chosen as a first option by many applicants.

Oversubscription criteria follow a familiar structure for an academy within coordinated admissions. Priority is given to looked-after and previously looked-after children, then sibling links, then children resident in the admission zone, followed by distance as measured in a straight line. A particularly important note for families considering nursery is explicit: attending a school nursery does not guarantee a Reception place.

Parents who are considering a move, or who sit near likely cut-off points, should use the FindMySchoolMap Search tool to check their precise home-to-school distance before relying on a place, because small differences can matter sharply in oversubscribed settings.

Safeguarding and wellbeing are treated as core practice rather than a separate layer. Systems include staff training, prompt follow-up of absences, and clear reporting routes for concerns. Pupils are also taught online safety, supported by external inputs such as visits from the police and road safety teams. The practical implication is that safety education is not assumed, it is taught deliberately, and it is reinforced through routine and external reinforcement.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is positioned as access to the same ambitious curriculum, with needs identified early and supported through clear plans and resourcing. Nurture groups are used to support pupils with social and emotional needs. That model can suit families who want an academically ambitious setting without expecting children who need additional support to be separated from the main curriculum experience.

Faith-based pastoral aspects also appear in practical ways, such as opportunities for reflection and a values language intended to shape behaviour and relationships. For many families, this offers a coherent moral framework that is visible in daily routines, not only in formal worship moments.

Enrichment here is not presented as a generic “after-school clubs” offer, it shows up through named activities and purposeful roles. A good example is the way pupil leadership is built into the day. Older pupils act as buddies to younger children, and sports leader roles are used to encourage inclusive play. The evidence is that these are described as established roles rather than one-off initiatives. The implication is that pupils practise responsibility and service early, which tends to support confidence, teamwork, and calmer playground culture.

Clubs and activities provide another strand. The most recently published Ofsted report references activities including yoga, street dance, and gardening. These are helpful examples because they cover physical wellbeing, expressive movement, and practical outdoor learning, rather than only competitive sport. Where this matters for parents is breadth. Children who do not identify as “sporty” still have routes into enrichment that develop confidence and belonging.

Wraparound provision is also clearly structured, with both breakfast club and extended provision for Nursery through Year 6. Families can use this as part of a practical childcare plan, and the published session structure gives clarity on collection times and how the provision is organised across the week.

The school day is published as 8:50am to 3:20pm, with doors open from 8:40am for Reception through Year 6. Lunch runs from 12 noon to 1pm.

Wraparound childcare is available. Breakfast club is published as 7:30am to 8:40am. Extended provision operates after school with published session timings across the week, covering Nursery to Year 6.

For transport planning, families should expect a primarily local intake shaped by coordinated admissions and distance rules. Travel practicality will matter, particularly for nursery families hoping to progress to Reception, because nursery attendance does not create priority for a Reception place when the school is oversubscribed.

• Competition for places. Demand data indicates oversubscription at the main entry point, with close to two applications per place in the most recent figures available. If you are relying on a place, treat admissions as a strategic process rather than an assumption.

• Nursery does not guarantee Reception. The admissions policy is explicit that nursery attendance does not secure a Reception place. This matters for childcare planning and for families considering nursery primarily as a route into the school.

• Wider curriculum sequencing. The last inspection highlighted that geography curriculum planning and wider-subject assessment needed tighter alignment. Parents who care strongly about humanities should ask how curriculum design and assessment have progressed since that point.

• Faith character is meaningful. The Church of England identity is not a label only. Christian vision and worship form part of school life, even while the school describes itself as serving a diverse community. Families who want a fully secular experience should factor this in.

This is a high-performing Church of England primary where academic outcomes are among the strongest in England for the phase, and where behaviour, responsibility, and pupil leadership appear to be embedded in daily routines. It suits families who value a calm, structured learning environment, strong literacy and mathematics foundations, and a faith-informed ethos that still aims to be inclusive. The limiting factor is admission, because demand exceeds places, and nursery attendance does not provide a guaranteed route into Reception.