West Rainton Primary School
West Rainton, Houghton le Spring, DH4 6RNOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
West Rainton Primary School is a primary school in Houghton le Spring for ages 2 to 11. It is one of the 271 schools in County Durham. It ranks 95th of 184 primary schools in County Durham. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in November 2017.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 1 November 2017, report published 14 December 2017
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 8 February 2023
Pupils feel at home at West Rainton Primary School. It is a small school with a strong culture of inclusivity. Pupils work well together in lessons. Pupils from different year groups get on well with one another. They support each other with learning. Everyone is made to feel welcome. Bullying is extremely rare and when it does occur, leaders work swiftly to ensure that pupils resolve their differences. Classrooms are purposeful and calm. Teachers expect the best of their pupils. In return, pupils appreciate their teachers. One pupil commented, 'I don't think of teachers like a boss. I think of them like a helper.' The warmth between staff and pupils is obvious to visitors. Pupils feel safe because they trust the adults in school. Much work is done to give pupils access to rich cultural experiences. For example, pupils benefit from visiting the theatre to watch plays by Shakespeare. They talk passionately about playing roles in their own school productions. Nearly all pupils attend an after- school club. Pupils can choose from an impressive array of extra-curricular activities. Staff enjoy running these clubs. Leaders place great importance on pupils being involved in the local community. There are strong links with a local residential home. Pupils of all ages have benefited from visiting the home and interacting with the residents. This gives pupils valuable chances to be active citizens within the local community.
What the school should improve
- In some curriculum subjects, leaders have not identified the most important knowledge that should be prioritised for retrieval practice and assessment. This means that teachers lack clarity on which knowledge is selected to both emphasise in recall activities and to highlight in summative assessment. Senior leaders should work with curriculum subject leaders to identify what key knowledge teachers should focus on, to embed in pupils' long-term memory.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
17 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
148 pupils on roll, with places for 168
Schools near West Rainton Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Rainton Primary School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 72% met the expected standard |
| Belmont Cheveley Park Primary School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | 72% met the expected standard |
| Pittington Primary School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | 65% met the expected standard |
| Belmont CofE (Controlled) Primary School | 2 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | 73% met the expected standard |
| St Thomas More Primary School, Belmont | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | 67% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Community school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 2 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mrs Alison McDonough
- Phone
- 01915843805
- Address
- West Rainton, Houghton le Spring, DH4 6RN
- Local authority
- County Durham
- URN
- 114128
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.