St Stephen's Church of England Primary School
Hall Lane, Willington, Crook, DL15 0QHOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Stephen's Church of England Primary School is a primary school in Crook for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 271 schools in County Durham. It ranks 2nd of 10 primary schools in Crook. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in February 2024.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 1 February 2024, report published 12 March 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 1 February 2024
From nursery through to year 6, the pupils who attend St Stephen's are proud of their school. They enjoy learning here and trust the adults in school to help them. Parents echo this sentiment. They agree that school leaders are highly visible and approachable. They recognise leaders want the best for the pupils who attend here. The school is ambitious about the education they want pupils to experience. These ambitions are realised. Pupils enjoy working hard, are taught effectively and as a result, achieve well here. The Christian faith underpins many of pupils' experiences in school. Pupils talk about the lessons they learn through worship. Pupils are rewarded when they demonstrate Christian values in celebration assemblies. Pupils agree that bullying is not a problem in their school. They demonstrate empathy and respect for others. Year 6 pupils take their role as buddies to children in reception very seriously. The older children benefit from the responsibility and the younger children are helped to settle in. Parents, staff and pupils alike describe the school like a 'family'. Pupils learn to respect the other members of the school community, including Chase, the school dog. There is a strong focus on well-being throughout school. Leaders make sure that pupils are listened to and cared for.
What the school should improve
- Curriculum development is more secure in some foundation subjects than others. Leaders are still in the process of developing the curriculum, including purposeful assessment systems, in some wider foundation subjects. Leaders should ensure that the clarity of curriculum thinking and assessment in the strongest subjects is replicated across all foundation subjects.
- Many curriculum developments are in the process of being embedded. Leaders have begun to monitor the impact of these changes for pupils in some areas. These monitoring systems are not yet in place more broadly, including of the provision for pupils with SEND. Leaders should ensure there are systems in place to consistently check the impact of the curriculum.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
31 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
213 pupils on roll, with places for 203
Schools near St Stephen's Church of England Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willington Primary School | 0.3 miles | Ofsted: Good | 56% met the expected standard |
| Our Lady and St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Willington | 0.5 miles | Ofsted: Good | 50% met the expected standard |
| Sunnybrow Primary School | 0.8 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good | 36% met the expected standard |
| Byers Green Primary School | 1 mile | Ofsted judgements: Good | 63% met the expected standard |
| Hunwick Primary School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
School details
- School type
- Voluntary controlled school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 3 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mrs Alison Richardson
- Phone
- 01388746426
- Address
- Hall Lane, Willington, Crook, DL15 0QH
- Local authority
- County Durham
- URN
- 114216
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.