NCEA Grace Darling CofE Primary School

Northumberland · NE64 6RT

General information Primary School · 2-11 years Who goes here 372 pupils, 42.7% FSM

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN 32.3% on SEN support Behaviour 7.9% absence rate Staff 18.7% turnover Financials £7,262 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

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NCEA Grace Darling CofE Primary School

General Information

Address: Central Parkway, Newbiggin-By-the-Sea, NE64 6RT – View on map
Phone: 01670812019
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Mrs Sharon Cole
Age range: 2-11 years
Demand for places (Reception, September 2026): 36 families put it first for 35 places – 10 for every 10 places. 97% of them were offered a place. 1 of the 35 places went to families living outside the council area. Children putting it first, for every 10 places: 2023 10 · 2024 10 · 2025 10 · 2026 10
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Church of England
Nursery provision: Yes

Who goes here

372 pupils out of 594 places Plenty of room

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 138
% eligible for free school meals: 42.7%
Pupil mix: 1 in 10 (less mixed than the Northumberland average)
English as an additional language: 2% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 18.7% a year (Northumberland 14.4%, typical in England 13.9%)
Where they went: about 54% moved to another school, 46% left state schools altogether (retirement, other careers, independent schools, abroad)
Data years: 2022/23 to 2024/25 (average of 3 years, DfE school workforce census)

Teachers who moved school or left state schools in the year after each November, as a share of all the school's teachers. Some turnover is healthy – retirements, promotions, moving house.

Behaviour

Awaiting Data

About this Behaviour status

We've asked this school for real behaviour figures under Freedom of Information and haven't had a response yet.

Across Northumberland: suspensions by reason

Suspensions for sexual misconduct: 3 (0.1 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Permanent exclusions for sexual misconduct: 0
Suspensions for bullying: 1 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Suspensions for abuse against sexual orientation or gender identity: 0 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.0)
Data year: 2024/25 (DfE suspensions and exclusions statistics)

These are figures for all state primary schools in Northumberland, not this school's own – the government doesn't publish them school by school. A suspension can have up to three reasons. Most sexual harassment between pupils never leads to a suspension, so these figures show only part of the picture.

Attendance

Overall absence: 7.9%
Persistently absent pupils: 21.6%
Data year: 2024/25

About persistent absence

A pupil is counted as "persistently absent" if they miss 10% or more of their possible school sessions - roughly one day in every two weeks. Schools and Ofsted both pay close attention to this figure specifically, since it can highlight a pattern the overall absence rate alone might hide.

SEN

No dedicated Unit or Resourced Provision

SEN Unit and Resourced Provision

Most mainstream schools don't have a dedicated SEN Unit or Resourced Provision - it isn't a mark against a school that doesn't, just a different kind of setup than one that does.

Pupils on SEN Support: 32.3%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 6.7%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Speech, language and communications needs: 46 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 34 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 23 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 11 pupils
Physical disability: 5 pupils

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Speech, language and communications needs: 16 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 3 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 2 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 2 pupils
Physical disability: 2 pupils

These figures show the makeup of the school.

About these SEND figures

These figures give a sense of the makeup of the school - they aren't a judgement on the quality of support provided.

Parent score - no reviews yet –

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Behaviour

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Openness

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Teaching Quality

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School Ethos

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Ability to Deal with Problems

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Headteacher Approval

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SafeguardingSafeguarding (parent rating)How parents rate the school on keeping children safe - how safe their child feels, and how well concerns are listened to and acted on. It's parents' experience, not an inspection result; Ofsted checks safeguarding separately.

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Wraparound CareWraparound Care (parent rating)How parents rate the school's breakfast and after-school clubs - availability, cost and quality. Only asked for infant, junior and primary schools, where it matters most for working parents.

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Would recommend –

Educational Attainment

Good 2024 report

About this Ofsted rating

Ofsted changed how it rates schools in the last couple of years, so ratings from different years aren't always on the same scale - that's why we show the year alongside every rating.

Year 6 SATs results

Met the expected standard in reading, writing & maths: 24% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 2% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 37 percentage points below the Northumberland average (61%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: Below (3-year average 42% against an expected 50%)
3-year average (expected standard): 42%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 44% · Writing 46% · Maths 37% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 31%
Average test scores: reading 98, maths 98
Based on: 54 Year 6 pupils, 2024/25

View the School Context Comparator – how this school's SATs results compare with schools teaching similar pupils.

SATs results over time

This schoolNorthumberland averageEngland↘ Falling Down 43 percentage points since 2022/23. In 2024/25 this school was 37 percentage points below the Northumberland average (61%).

Year 6 SATs: 58th of 58 junior and primary schools in the area

#56Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School31%
#57NCEA William Leech CofE Primary School29%
#58NCEA Grace Darling CofE Primary School24%

Click to see the full ranking

Year 6 SATs ranking

Junior and primary schools in this area, ranked by the % of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (official DfE results, 2024/25). Schools with the same result share a place (shown as =). In small schools one or two children can move a school several places, so treat close positions as roughly equal.

Rank School Score

#1St Matthew's Catholic Primary School, Prudhoe94%
=2Meadowdale Academy83%
=2Swarland Primary School83%
#4NCEA Warkworth Church of England Primary School82%
=5Burnside Primary School80%
=5St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Ashington80%
#7Horton Grange Primary School79%
=8Cramlington Northburn Primary School78%
=8Darras Hall Primary School78%
=8Ellington Primary School78%
=8Henshaw Church of England Primary School78%
#12Belford Primary School75%
=13Haltwhistle Primary Academy72%
=13NCEA James Knott CofE Primary School72%
=15Belsay Primary School71%
=15Cragside CofE Controlled Primary School71%
=15Ss Peter and Paul's Catholic Primary Academy71%
#18Ponteland Primary School70%
=19Bede Academy69%
=19Heddon-on-the-Wall, St Andrew's Church of England Primary School69%
=21Hareside Primary School68%
=21St Paul's Catholic Primary School, Alnwick68%
=23Croftway Academy67%
=23Hipsburn Primary School67%
=23Richard Coates Church of England Primary School67%
=23Ringway Primary School67%
=23Wark Church of England Primary School67%
#28St Bede's Catholic Primary School66%
#29Ponteland Community Primary School65%
=30Felton Church of England Primary School64%
=30Morpeth Road Academy64%
#32Malvin's Close Academy63%
=33Choppington Primary School62%
=33Seahouses Primary School62%
=35Cramlington Shanklea Primary School61%
=35Cramlington Village Primary School61%
=35Stamfordham Primary School61%
#38Pegswood Primary School58%
#39Bedlington West End Primary School57%
#40Eastlea Primary School55%
=41Greenhead Church of England Nursery and Primary School50%
=41Newbrough Church of England Primary School50%
=41Whittingham Church of England Primary School50%
=44Allendale Primary School47%
=44St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School47%
#46Stead Lane Primary School46%
#47Cambois Primary School45%
=48Bedlington Station Primary School43%
=48New Delaval Primary School43%
=48Newsham Primary School43%
=51Beaconhill Community Primary School41%
=51Mowbray Primary School41%
=51NCEA Thomas Bewick C of E Primary School41%
#54NCEA Bishop's Primary School36%
#55Stakeford Primary School32%
#56Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School31%
#57NCEA William Leech CofE Primary School29%
#58NCEA Grace Darling CofE Primary School24%

View full Ofsted inspection report

59th of 107 primary schools in Northumberland for Ofsted rating

#57Morpeth First SchoolGood
#58NCEA Bishop's Primary SchoolGood
#59NCEA Grace Darling CofE Primary SchoolGood
#60NCEA Thomas Bewick C of E Primary SchoolGood
#61NCEA Warkworth Church of England Primary SchoolGood

Click to see the full ranking

Ofsted Rating ranking

Based on real Ofsted ratings (via official DfE data) for schools on the same four-word grading scale.

Rank School Score

#1Bothal AcademyOutstanding
#2Croftway AcademyOutstanding
#3Darras Hall Primary SchoolOutstanding
#4Haltwhistle Primary AcademyOutstanding
#5Horton Grange Primary SchoolOutstanding
#6Malvin's Close AcademyOutstanding
#7Morpeth Road AcademyOutstanding
#8Acomb First SchoolGood
#9Adderlane AcademyGood
#10Allendale Primary SchoolGood
#11Amble Links Primary SchoolGood
#12Beaconhill Community Primary SchoolGood
#13Bedlington Station Primary SchoolGood
#14Bedlington West End Primary SchoolGood
#15Belford Primary SchoolGood
#16Bellingham Primary SchoolGood
#17Belsay Primary SchoolGood
#18Berwick St Mary's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#19Branton Primary School and NurseryGood
#20Broomhaugh (VA) Church of England First SchoolGood
#21Broomley First SchoolGood
#22Burnside Primary SchoolGood
#23Cambo First SchoolGood
#24Cambois Primary SchoolGood
#25Central AcademyGood
#26Chollerton Church of England Aided First SchoolGood
#27Corbridge (VA) Church of England First SchoolGood
#28Cragside CofE Controlled Primary SchoolGood
#29Cramlington Northburn Primary SchoolGood
#30Cramlington Shanklea Primary SchoolGood
#31Eastlea Primary SchoolGood
#32Ellingham Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#33Ellington Primary SchoolGood
#34Embleton Vincent Edwards Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#35Felton Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#36Glendale Primary School (Prev. Wooler First School)Good
#37Grange View Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolGood
#38Greenhaugh Primary SchoolGood
#39Greenhead Church of England Nursery and Primary SchoolGood
#40Harbottle Church of England First SchoolGood
#41Hareside Primary SchoolGood
#42Heddon-on-the-Wall, St Andrew's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#43Henshaw Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#44Hexham First SchoolGood
#45Hipsburn Primary SchoolGood
#46Holy Island Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#47Holy Trinity Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#48Holywell Village First SchoolGood
#49Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, FordGood
#50Humshaugh Church of England First SchoolGood
#51King Edwin Primary SchoolGood
#52Linton Primary SchoolGood
#53Longhoughton Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#54Lowick Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolGood
#55Meadowdale AcademyGood
#56Mickley First SchoolGood
#57Morpeth First SchoolGood
#58NCEA Bishop's Primary SchoolGood
#59NCEA Grace Darling CofE Primary SchoolGood
#60NCEA Thomas Bewick C of E Primary SchoolGood
#61NCEA Warkworth Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#62NCEA William Leech CofE Primary SchoolGood
#63Ncea Harry Hotspur Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#64New Delaval Primary SchoolGood
#65New Hartley First SchoolGood
#66Newsham Primary SchoolGood
#67Otterburn Primary SchoolGood
#68Ovingham Church of England First SchoolGood
#69Pegswood Primary SchoolGood
#70Ponteland Community Primary SchoolGood
#71Ponteland Primary SchoolGood
#72Prior Park Primary SchoolGood
#73Prudhoe Castle First SchoolGood
#74Red Row Primary SchoolGood
#75Richard Coates Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#76Ringway Primary SchoolGood
#77Scremerston First SchoolGood
#78Seahouses Primary SchoolGood
#79Seaton Delaval First SchoolGood
#80Seaton Sluice First SchoolGood
#81Seghill First SchoolGood
#82Shaftoe Trust AcademyGood
#83Shilbottle Primary SchoolGood
#84Slaley First SchoolGood
#85Spittal Community Primary SchoolGood
#86Ss Peter and Paul's Catholic Primary AcademyGood
#87St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, AshingtonGood
#88St Mary's Catholic First School, HexhamGood
#89St Matthew's Catholic Primary School, PrudhoeGood
#90St Paul's Catholic Primary School, AlnwickGood
#91Stakeford Primary SchoolGood
#92Stamfordham Primary SchoolGood
#93Stannington First SchoolGood
#94Stead Lane Primary SchoolGood
#95Swansfield Park Primary SchoolGood
#96Swarland Primary SchoolGood
#97The Sele First SchoolGood
#98Thropton Village First SchoolGood
#99Tritlington Church of England First SchoolGood
#100Tweedmouth West Primary SchoolGood
#101Whalton Church of England Aided Primary SchoolGood
#102Whittingham Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#103Whittonstall First SchoolGood
#104Wylam First SchoolGood
#105Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#106Cramlington Village Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#107St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary SchoolRequires improvement

Financials

Spending per pupil: £7,262 (2024-25)

About this spending figure

A higher or lower position here isn't a sign of a better or worse school - schools have different needs and circumstances - but it can help reassure you that a school has sufficient funding behind your child's education.

81st of 124 primary schools in Northumberland for spending per pupil

#79Corbridge (VA) Church of England First School£7,287
#80Cramlington Northburn Primary School£7,274
#81NCEA Grace Darling CofE Primary School£7,262
#82Eastlea Primary School£7,239
#83Berwick St Mary's Church of England Primary School£7,200

Click to see the full ranking

Spending Per Pupil ranking

Based on official DfE financial return data (Consistent Financial Reporting / Academies Accounts Return) - not a ranking of school quality.

Rank School Score

#1Holy Island Church of England Primary School£38,921
#2Linton Primary School£30,353
#3Kielder Primary School and Nursery£27,851
#4Harbottle Church of England First School£21,833
#5Greenhaugh Primary School£21,080
#6Lowick Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School£17,863
#7Whalton Church of England Aided Primary School£15,927
#8Whitley Chapel Church of England First School£14,919
#9Cambois Primary School£14,270
#10Scremerston First School£13,766
#11Norham St Ceolwulfs CofE Controlled Primary School£12,930
#12Tritlington Church of England First School£12,361
#13Chollerton Church of England Aided First School£12,261
#14Humshaugh Church of England First School£12,127
#15Slaley First School£11,743
#16Otterburn Primary School£11,699
#17Thropton Village First School£11,289
#18Broomhill Primary School£11,249
#19Cambo First School£10,282
#20Hugh Joicey Church of England Primary School, Ford£10,213
#21Hexham First School£10,107
#22Spittal Community Primary School£9,711
#23Newbrough Church of England Primary School£9,559
#24Beaufront First School£9,553
#25Glendale Primary School (Prev. Wooler First School)£9,479
#26Seahouses Primary School£9,399
#27Adderlane Academy£9,366
#28Broomhaugh (VA) Church of England First School£9,328
#29Greenhead Church of England Nursery and Primary School£9,294
#30Mickley First School£9,261
#31Choppington Primary School£9,245
#32Belford Primary School£9,197
#33Morpeth Road Academy£9,167
#34Prudhoe Castle First School£8,969
#35Acomb First School£8,868
#36Rothbury First School£8,792
#37Wark Church of England Primary School£8,706
#38NCEA William Leech CofE Primary School£8,601
#39Belsay Primary School£8,570
#40Ncea Harry Hotspur Church of England Primary School£8,492
#41Tweedmouth West Primary School£8,444
#42Bedlington Station Primary School£8,407
#43Stakeford Primary School£8,387
#44Bellingham Primary School£8,353
#45St Mary's Catholic First School, Hexham£8,348
#46New Delaval Primary School£8,208
#47Pegswood Primary School£8,140
#48Haltwhistle Primary Academy£8,130
#49Red Row Primary School£8,113
#50Prior Park Primary School£8,106
#51Ringway Primary School£8,085
#52Hipsburn Primary School£8,021
#53St Cuthberts Catholic Primary School, Berwick£8,000
#54Mowbray Primary School£7,969
#55St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School£7,878
#56Henshaw Church of England Primary School£7,877
#57Beaconhill Community Primary School£7,856
#58Stead Lane Primary School£7,817
#59Seaton Delaval First School£7,815
#60Stamfordham Primary School£7,808
#61Cramlington Shanklea Primary School£7,761
#62Longhorsley St Helen's Church of England Aided First School£7,749
#63Allendale Primary School£7,746
#64Whittonstall First School£7,745
#65Seghill First School£7,690
#66St Bede's Catholic Primary School£7,680
#67Felton Church of England Primary School£7,656
#68Whittingham Church of England Primary School£7,656
#69Bedlington West End Primary School£7,604
#70Holywell Village First School£7,576
#71Seaton Sluice First School£7,569
#72Cramlington Village Primary School£7,558
#73Stannington First School£7,534
#74Swarland Primary School£7,462
#75Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School£7,431
#76Shaftoe Trust Academy£7,385
#77Broomley First School£7,365
#78Prudhoe West Academy£7,329
#79Corbridge (VA) Church of England First School£7,287
#80Cramlington Northburn Primary School£7,274
#81NCEA Grace Darling CofE Primary School£7,262
#82Eastlea Primary School£7,239
#83Berwick St Mary's Church of England Primary School£7,200
#84Richard Coates Church of England Primary School£7,167
#85Ponteland Community Primary School£7,124
#86King Edwin Primary School£7,123
#87Ellington Primary School£7,045
#88Newsham Primary School£7,035
#89Meadowdale Academy£6,995
#90St Matthew's Catholic Primary School, Prudhoe£6,972
#91The Sele First School£6,830
#92Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School£6,806
#93Cragside CofE Controlled Primary School£6,798
#94Morpeth First School£6,736
#95New Hartley First School£6,713
#96Ss Peter and Paul's Catholic Primary Academy£6,711
#97NCEA Thomas Bewick C of E Primary School£6,700
#98Grange View Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School£6,700
#99Horton Grange Primary School£6,659
#100Morpeth Stobhillgate First School£6,589
#101Wylam First School£6,498
#102Malvin's Close Academy£6,454
#103Croftway Academy£6,423
#104NCEA James Knott CofE Primary School£6,339
#105St Paul's Catholic Primary School, Alnwick£6,322
#106Heddon-on-the-Wall, St Andrew's Church of England Primary School£6,295
#107St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth£6,196
#108Morpeth All Saints Church of England First School£6,195
#109Amble Links Primary School£6,184
#110Abbeyfields First School£6,147
#111St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Ashington£6,059
#112Hareside Primary School£5,987
#113Ponteland Primary School£5,966
#114Branton Primary School and Nursery£5,960
#115Ovingham Church of England First School£5,892
#116NCEA Warkworth Church of England Primary School£5,837
#117Darras Hall Primary School£5,656
#118Burnside Primary School£5,525
#119NCEA Bishop's Primary School£5,449
#120Ellingham Church of England Primary School£5,050
#121Longhoughton Church of England Primary School£3,803
#122Embleton Vincent Edwards Church of England Primary School£3,774
#123Swansfield Park Primary School£2,542
#124Shilbottle Primary School£2,100

View on the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (GOV.UK)

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