School Chooser

St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, South Shields

Primary · ages 4-11MixedAcademyRoman Catholic211 pupilsSouth ShieldsSouth Tyneside
School Chooser Score
63
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 39 to 82
Out of 100. Better than 38% of the 50 schools most like it. Getting better year on year.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, November 2023
Reached the expected level at 1170%England 63%
Attendance96.2%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families8%Far fewer than most schools
Places25 spare211 pupils, 236 places
Pupils per teacher26.2School workforce census

St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, South Shields is a converter academy in South Shields for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 211 pupils and room for 236. About 8 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 63 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 38% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Harton House Road East, South Shields, NE34 6DZ0191 455 2909st-gregorys.co.ukMiss Emma Shaughnessy headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 29 November 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Outstanding
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Outstanding
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

30 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1170%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level13%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score106.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score105.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 69%69%20172018: 87%87%20182019: 84%84%20192023: 53%53%20232024: 55%55%20242025: 70%70%2025
Since 2017: +1%Improving overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure2025202420232019†2018†2017†South TynesideEngland
Pupils tested303330323132
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths70%55%53%84%87%69%64%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths13%3%10%25%16%6%9%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score106.0104.0105.0107.0110.0106.0105.4105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score105.0103.0102.0109.0108.0103.0104.7104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score104.0103.0103.0111.0111.0108.0105.0105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard80%79%80%88%97%78%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard77%64%70%94%94%78%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)83%70%67%91%97%88%
Reading progressReading progress score-1.7+1.4+2.5-1.1
Maths progressMaths progress score-3.2+2.7+1.9-3.7
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged33%38%71%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged59%59%68%

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 St Gregory's RC Voluntary Aided Primary School, the school this one replaced in April 2022. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. None of the gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
85%59%
Gap 26 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

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.

A few spare places197 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
94% full

About 13 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have fallen by 3% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place.

EntryPut it firstGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary2525all offeredLA
2025 Primary2233all offeredLA

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.

Pupils on roll211Census January 2026
Places23689% full
Pupils from low-income families8%8% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English4%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support11%23 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%6 pupils with a plan
Average class size23.49 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)6%£17,050 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls118 / 93
White British pupils93%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 25.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 28.8 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (11), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (5), language and communications needs (5), Autistic spectrum disorder (4), Specific learning difficulty (3), Moderate learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census2026202520242023
Pupils on roll211195201210
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals8%7%9%11%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language4%3%3%1%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support15%14%12%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%1%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.2% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance96.2%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school4.7%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.52024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.7%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/22†2020/21†2018/19†England
Sessions missedOverall absence3.8%3.9%4.5%4.9%2.7%3.1%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.1%3.2%3.4%4.0%2.5%2.4%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.7%0.7%1.1%0.9%0.2%0.7%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence4.7%5.1%9.4%7.7%3.3%0.5%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.50.01.00.5
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions0000

† These attendance figures are for St Gregory's RC Voluntary Aided Primary School, the school this one replaced in April 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.

Teachers8.1full-time equivalent, 10 people
Pupils per teacher26.2Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants6.7full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£51,983
Teachers who left in the year0%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies2
Sick days per teacher12.32024/25

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.

Spend per pupil£7,200England £7,128. Total £1.4m
Income per pupil£6,687England £7,587. Total £1.3m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,282England £3,405
Money in reserve-7%In the red: -£91k, -£467 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out-£100kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£7,200spent per pupil

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

Crimes within 500 m32712 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate52 per 1,000 people43% lower than the England average
Typical house price£165,000South Tyneside
Nearest bus stop20 mSt Gregorys Rc Jmi School, 17 stops within 500 m

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.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Sea View Primary SchoolCouncil530 m366Good 202443Compare
Harton Primary SchoolCouncil680 m636Good 202370Compare
Mortimer Primary SchoolCouncil0.8 miles588Good 202426Compare
Ridgeway Primary AcademyAcademy0.9 miles452Report card 20264Compare
Westoe Crown Primary SchoolCouncil1.0 miles636Good 202355Compare
Ashley AcademyAcademy1.1 miles396No overall grade 202537Compare
Laygate Community SchoolCouncil1.2 miles227Good 202360Compare
Stanhope Primary SchoolCouncil1.3 miles233Good 202386Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, South Shields 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.

Beats38%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 63 is 5 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 68 · highest 95100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 48 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, South Shields, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
St Matthew's Catholic Primary School, JarrowAcademy3.8 miles209No overall grade 202469Compare
St Bede's Catholic Primary School, WashingtonAcademy6.3 miles204Good 202480Compare
New Seaham AcademyAcademy9.6 miles216Good 202293Compare
St Michael's Catholic Primary School, HoughtonAcademy10.4 miles193Report card 202689Compare
St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, AshingtonAcademy14.8 miles238Good 202181Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 63 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 63% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 39 to 82. 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 atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%in line
+0.03
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 30 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 2.8 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.10
DfE progress measure; 30 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well above
+0.14
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.11
2024/25; 170 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.04
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 30 pupils
What parents say0%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 St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, South Shields a good school?

It is about average. St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, South Shields scores 63 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 38% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 39 to 82, 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 St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, South Shields's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, South Shields good at its last full inspection on 29 November 2023.

How good are St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, South Shields's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 70% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 13% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, South Shields have?

211 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 236 places, so it is 89% full.

Is St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, South Shields oversubscribed?

Probably not. 13 places were empty in 2024/25 (6% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, South Shields?

Pupils were in school 96.2% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 5% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, South Shields?

The average class had 23.4 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
Harton House Road East, South Shields, NE34 6DZ
Telephone
0191 455 2909
Website
www.st-gregorys.co.uk
Headteacher
Miss Emma Shaughnessy
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic, Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle
Multi-academy trust
Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust (31 schools)
Local authority
South Tyneside
Ward
Horsley Hill
Constituency
South Shields
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 April 2022 (academy converter)
URN
149034 · LAESTAB 3933303 · UKPRN 10090207
Formerly
St Gregory's RC Voluntary Aided Primary School

Where these figures come from