Harbottle Church of England First School
Harbottle, Morpeth, NE65 7DGOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Harbottle Church of England First School is a primary school in Morpeth for ages 3 to 9. It is one of the 171 schools in Northumberland. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 22 November 2023, report published 30 January 2024
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 22 November 2023
Harbottle Church of England First School is at the heart of the village community it serves. Every part of the school community plays an important part in this small rural school. The school feels like a family. Pupils say it is a welcoming school. It is! Pupils rise to meet the high expectations staff have of them. Pupils are keen to learn and achieve well. The school wants pupils to know about where they live and the wider world. The curriculum is carefully built around these aims. Pupils are proud to be part of the Harbottle family. They feel safe and well cared for. Parents agree that this school supports their children well. Pupils behave well. Older pupils set a good example to younger pupils around school. The school prioritises opportunities beyond the classroom. Carefully chosen trips bring the curriculum to life for pupils. Pupils also explore the wider world by visiting cities. Opportunities to present to other schools helps pupils with public speaking and share their understanding about sustainability. Pupils have an eco-code for everyone in school to follow. Pupils are using resources that they have chosen to help improve and understand the local environment.
What the school should improve
- Records and information relating to safeguarding are not kept in an orderly and clear way. It is not always evident what actions the school has taken to keep pupils safe. The school must develop record-keeping so that all actions taken by the school to keep pupils safe are recorded in a clear and chronological way.
- The implementation of the curriculum is not consistent in meeting the different needs in some mixed-age classes. Pupils are not consistently given the opportunity to deepen or extend their learning and sometimes learning time is lost. The school must further develop some aspects of the curriculum to ensure that there are enough opportunities for pupils to deepen their learning.
Pupil numbers and mix
16 pupils on roll, with places for 37
Schools near Harbottle Church of England First School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thropton Village First School | 6 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Otterburn Primary School | 8 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Rothbury First School | 8 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding | Not published |
| Dr Thomlinson Church of England Middle School | 8 miles | Ofsted: Good | 77% met the expected standard |
| Whittingham Church of England Primary School | 9 miles | Ofsted: Good | 50% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- CHEVIOT LEARNING TRUST
- Age range
- 3 to 9
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Liam Murtagh
- Phone
- 01669650271
- Address
- Harbottle, Morpeth, NE65 7DG
- Local authority
- Northumberland
- URN
- 145638
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.