Laurel Avenue Community Primary School

Community school · Primary, ages 2 to 11 · Mixed · Nursery class

Laurel Avenue, The Woodlands, Durham, DH1 2EY

0191 386 8416 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 27 February 2024
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths60%England 62% · 2024/25
Joint 25th highest of 39 state primary schools in Durham.
Higher than 37% of 14,185 state primary schools in England.
Pupils114Room for 112 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 107 in 2019, 126 in 2021, 139 in 2022, 122 in 2023, 108 in 2024, 109 in 2025, 114 in 2026. Across England, primary state school pupil numbers were down 4% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place1.09 for 9 places, September 2026
Joint 5th highest of 43 state primary schools in Durham.
Higher than 52% of 15,826 state primary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 27 February 2024.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentOutstanding
Leadership and managementGood
Early yearsGood
SafeguardingEffective

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

12 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025.

Durham comparisons use the 25 of its 44 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 19 have no published Parent View results (Ofsted only publishes a survey once at least 10 parents answer) or used Ofsted's newer questions, which we don't compare with the older ones.

StatementThis schoolDurhamEngland
My child is happy at this school
Joint 1st highest of 25 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Durham.
Higher than 82% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
100% 94% 88%
My child feels safe at this school
Joint 1st highest of 25 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Durham.
Higher than 80% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
100% 95% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved
Joint 21st highest of 25 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Durham.
Higher than 24% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
83% 91% 84%
I would recommend this school to another parent
Joint 1st highest of 25 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Durham.
Higher than 90% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
100%said yes 89% 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families. Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. Durham figures pool parents at the Durham schools compared, from each school's latest survey, so survey dates differ between schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

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Results

Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25

10 pupils in this year group.

60% — 2 points below the County Durham average, and 2 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolCounty DurhamEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths 60% 62% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 8% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading 80% 74% 75%
Met the expected standard in writing 70% 73% 72%
Met the expected standard in maths 70% 73% 74%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. 108 105 106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. 102 104 105
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, over time
30% 40% 50% 60% 70% England 2022/23: 60%England 2023/24: 61%England 2024/25: 62% This school 2022/23: 38%This school 2023/24: 44%This school 2024/25: 60% This school England 62% 2022/23 38% 2023/24 44% 2024/25 60%

Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in County Durham. The national closing date for primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.

How hard is it to get in?

For the September 2026 intake there were about one first-choice application for every place.

Places offered9
Families who put it first9
Of those, offered a place9 (100%)
Families who listed it at all16

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.0 · 2025: 1.0 · 2026: 1.0

This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.

Admissions dates and schools in County Durham

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolCounty DurhamEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
1st highest of 44 state primary schools in Durham.
Higher than 100% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
81.0% 35.1%* 26.3%
With an education, health and care plan
9th highest of 44 state primary schools in Durham.
Higher than 76% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
4.6% 2.9%* 3.5%
Receiving special educational needs support
4th highest of 44 state primary schools in Durham.
Higher than 98% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
30.3% 18.2%* 15.0%
English as an additional language
37th highest of 44 state primary schools in Durham.
Higher than 14% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
1.8% 5.0%* 23.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
42nd lowest of 44 state primary schools in Durham.
Lower than 7% of 16,640 state primary schools in England.
7.4% 5.3%* 5.2%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
43rd lowest of 44 state primary schools in Durham.
Lower than 6% of 16,640 state primary schools in England.
24.4% 13.6%* 13.0%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
44th lowest of 44 state primary schools in Durham.
Lower than 2% of 16,651 state primary schools in England.
16.5 3.8 2.5
Pupils suspended at least once
44th lowest of 44 state primary schools in Durham.
Lower than 2% of 16,651 state primary schools in England.
6.4% 1.3% 1.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.04% 0.03%
Pupils per teacher
25th highest of 44 state primary schools in Durham.
Higher than 47% of 16,642 state primary schools in England.
20.4 20.0 20.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
42nd highest of 44 state primary schools in Durham.
Higher than 4% of 16,653 state primary schools in England.
6.9 10.1 10.6
Teachers who left during the year
3rd highest of 41 state primary schools in Durham.
Higher than 90% of 15,063 state primary schools in England.
30.5% 13.1%* 14.4%*

Comparisons are with primary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

Nearby primary schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is Laurel Avenue Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Laurel Avenue Community Primary School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 27 February 2024.

How did Laurel Avenue Community Primary School do in its SATs?

In 2024/25, 60% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 2 points below the England average of 62%.

Would parents recommend Laurel Avenue Community Primary School?

100% of the 12 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025 said they would recommend Laurel Avenue Community Primary School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Is Laurel Avenue Community Primary School oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 9 families put Laurel Avenue Community Primary School as their first choice for 9 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 9 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.

Sources

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Page updated 26 September 2026.