SchoolScoresSt John's Chapel Primary School
Community school · Primary, ages 2 to 11 · Mixed · Nursery class
Burnfoot, St John's Chapel, Bishop Auckland, DL13 1QH
01388 537332 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 6 March 2019.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Outcomes for pupils | Good |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Safeguarding | Effective |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 4 June 2024: Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
10 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 2 April 2024 and 7 April 2025.
Bishop Auckland comparisons use the 21 of its 30 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 9 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.
| Statement | This school | Bishop Auckland | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school Joint 1st highest of 21 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Bishop Auckland. Higher than 82% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 100% | 96% | 89% |
| My child feels safe at this school Joint 1st highest of 21 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Bishop Auckland. Higher than 80% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 100% | 96% | 90% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved Joint 1st highest of 21 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Bishop Auckland. Higher than 90% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 100% | 91% | 84% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent Joint 1st highest of 21 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Bishop Auckland. Higher than 90% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 100%said yes | 92% | 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. Bishop Auckland figures pool parents at the Bishop Auckland 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.
Results
No test or exam results have been published for this school yet.
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 offered | 3 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 3 |
| Of those, offered a place | 3 (100%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 4 |
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.
Pupils, staff and SEND
| Pupils | This school | County Durham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 22nd highest of 30 state primary schools in Bishop Auckland. Higher than 52% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 22.2% | 35.1%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan Joint 7th highest of 30 state primary schools in Bishop Auckland. Higher than 63% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 3.7% | 2.9%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 4th highest of 30 state primary schools in Bishop Auckland. Higher than 97% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 29.6% | 18.2%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language Joint 19th highest of 30 state primary schools in Bishop Auckland. Higher than 0% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 0.0% | 5.0%* | 23.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 14th lowest of 30 state primary schools in Bishop Auckland. Lower than 34% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 5.6% | 5.3%* | 5.2% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 11th lowest of 30 state primary schools in Bishop Auckland. Lower than 54% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 11.1% | 13.6%* | 13.0% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils Joint 1st lowest of 30 state primary schools in Bishop Auckland. Lower than 69% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 0.0 | 3.8 | 2.5 |
| Pupils suspended at least once Joint 1st lowest of 30 state primary schools in Bishop Auckland. Lower than 69% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 0.0% | 1.3% | 1.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.04% | 0.03% |
| Pupils per teacher 30th highest of 30 state primary schools in Bishop Auckland. Higher than 0% of 16,642 state primary schools in England. | 5.2 | 20.0 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 30th highest of 30 state primary schools in Bishop Auckland. Higher than 0% of 16,653 state primary schools in England. | 3.6 | 10.1 | 10.6 |
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.
Nearby primary schools
- Wearhead Primary School 2.0 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2012), confirmed 2024
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is St John's Chapel Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St John's Chapel Primary School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 6 March 2019. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 4 June 2024, Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Would parents recommend St John's Chapel Primary School?
100% of the 10 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 2 April 2024 and 7 April 2025 said they would recommend St John's Chapel Primary School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Is St John's Chapel Primary School oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 3 families put St John's Chapel Primary School as their first choice for 3 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 3 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 114064.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 2 April 2024 to 7 April 2025.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.