Best Primary Schools in Northumberland 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 125 schools across Northumberland. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Northumberland has 125 open primary schools. Of the 124 with a published Ofsted inspection, 8 (6%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 95% 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, Kielder Primary School and Nursery 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 Northumberland 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.

125
Total schools
8
Outstanding (historic grade)
6%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
60.2%
Avg KS2 SATs
35
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 Kielder Primary School and Nursery
Primary
 Outstanding 95 View school
🥈 Horton Grange Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 87 View school
🥉 St Matthew's Catholic Primary School, Prudhoe
Primary
 Good 87 View school
4. Darras Hall Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 87 View school
5. Haltwhistle Primary Academy
Primary
 Outstanding 84 View school
6. Meadowdale Academy
Primary
 Good 82 View school
7. Croftway Academy
Primary
 Outstanding 81 View school
8. NCEA Warkworth Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Good 81 View school
9. Acomb First School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
10. King Edwin Primary School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
11. Spittal Community Primary School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
12. Tweedmouth West Primary School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
13. Prior Park Primary School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
14. Broomhill Primary School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
15. Red Row Primary School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
16. Linton Primary School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
17. Hexham First School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
18. Morpeth First School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
19. Otterburn Primary School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
20. Beaufront First School
Primary
 Good 80 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 Northumberland

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

Nearby areas

Schools in Newcastle upon TyneCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in North TynesideCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in GatesheadCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in South TynesideCompare neighbouring authority

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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 Northumberland?
There are 125 open primary schools in Northumberland (closed schools are excluded). 8 of the 124 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 Northumberland?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked primary school in Northumberland is Kielder Primary School and Nursery. 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 Northumberland?
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 Northumberland?
Primary and secondary applications in Northumberland 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 Northumberland 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.