Newker Primary School is a primary school in Chester le Street, serving pupils aged 3 to 11. The school is a community school and operates as a mixed school. It follows a not applicable admissions policy. It does not have a designated religious character, which may suit families looking for a non-faith school.
Newker Primary School currently has around 378 pupils on roll, which is about 73% of its capacity. The gender split is relatively balanced, with approximately 48.7% boys and 51.3% girls. Around 29.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which gives an indication of the socio-economic mix. Pupil backgrounds are varied across different backgrounds and needs.
Overall absence at the school is 6.5%. Persistent absence is recorded at 15.5%.
The majority of pupils are from a white british background (92.9%).
Safeguarding was judged to be effective, which is a key consideration for many parents.
| Address: | Waldridge Road, Chester le Street, DH2 3AA |
| Website: | newkerprimary.co.uk |
| Telephone: | 01913887099 |
| School Type: | Community school |
| Education phase: | Primary |
| Local authority: | County Durham |
| Headteacher / Principal: | Mrs Melanie Kirkland |
| Religious character: | Does not apply |
| Admissions policy: | Not applicable |
| Unique reference: | 131233 |
Ofsted inspection date: 07/05/2025
Safeguarding is effective
| Age Range: | 3 - 11 |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| School Capacity: | 520 |
| Number of Pupils: | 378 |
| Number of Boys: | 184 |
| Number of Girls: | 194 |
| School | England state-funded schools: | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall absence: | 6.5% | 4% |
| Persistent absence: | 15.5% | 8.2% |
| White British | 92.90% | 351 |
| White and Black African | 1.90% | 7 |
| Other White | 1.10% | 4 |
| Other Asian | 1.10% | 4 |
| African | 0.80% | 3 |
| Indian | 0.80% | 3 |
| White and Asian | 0.50% | 2 |
| Other Mixed | 0.30% | 1 |
| Irish | 0.30% | 1 |
| Irish Traveller (Traveller of Irish heritage) | 0.30% | 1 |
| Unclassified | 0.30% | 1 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.00% | 0 |
| Pakistani | 0.00% | 0 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.00% | 0 |
| Gypsy/Roma | 0.00% | 0 |
| Chinese | 0.00% | 0 |
| Caribbean | 0.00% | 0 |
| Other Black | 0.00% | 0 |
| Other (any other ethnic group) | 0.00% | 0 |
Progress scores show how pupils performed compared with pupils nationally who had similar prior attainment. Scores above 0 are better than average; below 0 are worse than average.
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarence Nursery School Waldridge Road , DH2 3AA | - not rated | 166 yd | Local authority nursery school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Murray Road Nursery School Murray Road , DH2 2AT | - not rated | 576 yd | Local authority nursery school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newker Infant School Waldridge Road , DH2 3AA | - not rated | 0 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Newker Junior School Waldridge Road , DH2 3AA | - not rated | 0 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Newker Primary School Waldridge Road , DH2 3AA | - not rated | 0 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Bullion Lane Primary School Bullion Lane , DH2 2DP | 3out of 4 | 260 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Cestria Primary School Church Chare , DH3 3PZ | 3out of 4 | 820 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hermitage Academy Waldridge Lane , DH2 3AD | 3out of 4 | 740 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| The Hermitage Academy Waldridge Lane , DH2 3AD | - not rated | 762 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| The Hermitage School Waldridge Lane , DH2 3AD | - not rated | 762 yd | Foundation school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Park View School Church Chare , DH3 3QA | - not rated | 955 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Park View Community School Church Chare , DH3 3QA | - not rated | 955 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.