Blessed John Duckett Catholic Primary School, Tow Law
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Blessed John Duckett Catholic Primary School, Tow Law is a converter academy in Bishop Auckland for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 83 pupils and room for 84. About 34 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 92 out of 100. That puts it well above schools like it, ahead of 100% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.
Smith Street, Tow Law, Bishop Auckland, DL13 4AU01388 731082blessedjohnduckett.bhcet.org.ukMiss Jenna Ellison headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 28 January 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.
Earlier inspections (1)
| Date | Type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 10 November 2021 | Ungraded | School remains Good |
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
9 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019† | 2018† | 2017† | County Durham | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 13 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 11% | 43% | 75% | 71% | – | 62% | 62% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 0% | 14% | 0% | 14% | – | 0% | 8% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 103.0 | 107.0 | 109.0 | 106.0 | – | 107.0 | 105.2 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 98.0 | 100.0 | 106.0 | 105.0 | – | 104.0 | 104.1 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 100.0 | 104.0 | 107.0 | 106.0 | – | 104.0 | 104.9 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 56% | 86% | 100% | 86% | – | 85% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 22% | 43% | 88% | 86% | – | 69% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 33% | 57% | 75% | 100% | – | 69% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +2.5 | +3.0 | – | +1.5 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | +0.6 | +0.6 | – | +0.2 | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
† These results are for Blessed John Duckett Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary, the school this one replaced in February 2022. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Getting a place
Admissions policy not published. As a Roman Catholic school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.
19 places were empty (23% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have grown by 27% since 2021/22.
Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to County Durham council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 24.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 17.0 (England 27.3).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (12), Autistic spectrum disorder (2), Moderate learning difficulty (2), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (2), emotional and mental health (2).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 83 | 77 | 71 | 68 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 33% | 34% | 28% | 25% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 17% | 20% | 18% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 1% | 0% | 0% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.6% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22† | 2020/21† | 2018/19† | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 5.4% | 5.7% | 8.4% | 6.0% | 3.6% | 4.5% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 3.6% | 3.3% | 6.4% | 3.4% | 2.0% | 2.2% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 1.8% | 2.4% | 2.0% | 2.6% | 1.6% | 2.3% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 16.7% | 16.7% | 26.5% | 26.7% | 13.8% | 7.7% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 2.6 | 2.8 | 0.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – |
† These attendance figures are for Blessed John Duckett Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary, the school this one replaced in February 2022. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tow Law Millennium Primary School | Council | 930 m | 77 | Good 2023 | 17 | Compare |
| Peases West Academy | Academy | 2.7 miles | 126 | Good 2023 | 22 | Compare |
| Wolsingham Primary School | Council | 2.9 miles | 163 | Good 2021 | 60 | Compare |
| Stanley (Crook) Primary School | Council | 3.0 miles | 128 | Good 2024 | 56 | Compare |
| Hartside Primary Academy | Academy | 3.2 miles | 241 | Good 2022 | 54 | Compare |
| Crook Primary School | Council | 3.6 miles | 342 | Good 2023 | 21 | Compare |
| St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Crook | Academy | 3.7 miles | 117 | Not inspected | 31 | Compare |
| Esh Winning Academy | Academy | 4.3 miles | 287 | Good 2023 | 25 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Blessed John Duckett Catholic Primary School, Tow Law with the 48 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
No school with a similar mix of pupils within 25 km scores clearly higher.
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 92 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 92% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 80 to 98. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 0% | no data | – | |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | in line | +0.12 | Ofsted grade, 1.6 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 0% | no data | – | |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well above | +0.75 | results and attendance rising year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | below | -0.09 | 2024/25; 54 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 0% | no data | – | |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is Blessed John Duckett Catholic Primary School, Tow Law a good school?
Yes, going by the figures. Blessed John Duckett Catholic Primary School, Tow Law scores 92 out of 100. That is well above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 100% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 80 to 98, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.
What is Blessed John Duckett Catholic Primary School, Tow Law's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Blessed John Duckett Catholic Primary School, Tow Law not judged at its last full inspection on 28 January 2025.
How good are Blessed John Duckett Catholic Primary School, Tow Law's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 11% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.
How many pupils does Blessed John Duckett Catholic Primary School, Tow Law have?
83 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 84 places, so it is 99% full.
Is Blessed John Duckett Catholic Primary School, Tow Law oversubscribed?
Probably not. 19 places were empty in 2024/25 (23% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at Blessed John Duckett Catholic Primary School, Tow Law?
Pupils were in school 94.6% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 17% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Blessed John Duckett Catholic Primary School, Tow Law?
The average class had 20.8 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Smith Street, Tow Law, Bishop Auckland, DL13 4AU
- Telephone
- 01388 731082
- Website
- blessedjohnduckett.bhcet.org.uk
- Headteacher
- Miss Jenna Ellison
- Type of school
- Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic, Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle
- Multi-academy trust
- Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust (35 schools)
- Local authority
- County Durham
- Ward
- Weardale
- Constituency
- Bishop Auckland
- Setting
- Larger rural: Further from a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 February 2022 (academy converter)
- URN
- 148916 · LAESTAB 8403511 · UKPRN 10089904
- Formerly
- Blessed John Duckett Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.