Best Primary Schools in County Durham 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 208 schools across County Durham. Updated with 2025–26 data.

County Durham has 208 open primary schools. Of the 205 with a published Ofsted inspection, 15 (7%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 93% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, Thornhill Primary School currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in County Durham follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

208
Total schools
15
Outstanding (historic grade)
7%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
62.1%
Avg KS2 SATs
39.1
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 Thornhill Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 94 View school
🥈 Framwellgate Moor Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 91 View school
🥉 Sedgefield Hardwick Primary Academy
Primary
 Outstanding 91 View school
4. Montalbo Nursery & Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 90 View school
5. St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate
Primary
 Good 90 View school
6. Kirk Merrington Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 89 View school
7. Bullion Lane Primary School
Primary
 Good 87 View school
8. New Seaham Academy
Primary
 Good 87 View school
9. Ingleton CofE Primary School
Primary
 Good 85 View school
10. Cockfield Primary School
Primary
 Good 84 View school
11. Sacriston Academy
Primary
 Good 84 View school
12. Evenwood Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Good 83 View school
13. St Margaret's Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Good 83 View school
14. St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Blackhall
Primary
 Good 83 View school
15. Coxhoe Primary School
Primary
 Good 82 View school
16. Staindrop CofE (Controlled) Primary School
Primary
 Good 82 View school
17. St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
Primary
 Good 82 View school
18. St Michael's Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 81 View school
19. Red Rose Primary School
Primary
 Good 81 View school
20. St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Esh Village
Primary
 Good 81 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for County Durham

Best primary schools in County DurhamTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in County DurhamTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in County DurhamPrimary & secondary combined Secondary schools in County DurhamYear 7 onwards How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in SunderlandCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in GatesheadCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in DarlingtonCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in HartlepoolCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in County Durham

Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

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Frequently asked questions

How many primary schools are there in County Durham?
There are 208 open primary schools in County Durham (closed schools are excluded). 15 of the 205 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated primary schools in County Durham?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked primary school in County Durham is Thornhill Primary School. The full ranked table above lists the top 20 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in County Durham?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in County Durham?
Primary and secondary applications in County Durham are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the County Durham council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.