Browney Primary Academy
Browney, DH7 8HX · County Durham · primary school
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37th of 188 primary schools in County Durham we can score, 208 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 7.9/10 against 4,063 of them, against 7.5/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expected standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 71.0 · 68 | 40% | 2.73 |
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.82 |
| Higher standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 17.0 · 87 | 25% | 2.18 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Browney Primary Academy overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 71.0% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths, compared to the national median of 64%. The higher standard was reached by 17.0% of pupils, against a national median of 7%. Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds, so they are not simply a reflection of who attends (7.9 out of 10 against similar schools, 7.5 out of 10 against all schools). Ofsted rated the school Good in December 2022.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join clubs including Rise and Read, Puzzles, Choir, Cookery, and Film Friday. Sports activities cover Multi-Skills, Football, Netball, and Swimming. The school provides both a breakfast club and an after-school club.
Getting in
The published school roll is 181 pupils against a stated capacity of 126. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school manage class sizes when operating significantly above its designated capacity? What specific support is available for pupils who have not yet reached the expected standard in core subjects? How does the school integrate the various clubs into the daily timetable?
What Ofsted said about Browney Primary Academy
Overview
Browney Primary Academy continues to be a good school, characterised by a motto of ‘Small school, big heart’. Pupils feel happy and safe, benefiting from positive relationships with staff and high levels of pastoral support. The school has expanded significantly, with leaders reorganising the curriculum to accommodate new arrivals.
Strengths
- Pupils thrive in early years, where staff ‘know all pupils well’ and adapt teaching to meet individual needs.
- A new structured phonics programme has improved early reading, with pupils learning ‘more quickly than they did previously’.
- Subject leaders are ‘passionate and knowledgeable’, providing training and monitoring to develop staff.
- The governing body ‘actively challenge[s] senior leaders’ and holds them to account.
- Leaders promote mental health and well-being, with pupils having an ‘excellent understanding’ of their emotional needs.
Areas to improve
- Leaders should ensure the quality of the curriculum remains strong as the school expands, addressing learning gaps for pupils who have transferred from other schools.
- Some pupils have ‘misconceptions about life in modern Britain’ and confuse information about major world faiths, requiring clearer curriculum delivery on diversity.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with rigorous recruitment processes and clear systems for reporting concerns and supporting at-risk pupils.
Results over time
Expected standard (reading, writing, maths), the years we hold.
| Year | Expected standard (reading, writing, maths) |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 62% |
| 2023/24 | 82% |
| 2024/25 | 71% |
| England | 64% |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 14,326 state schools in England we hold a 2024/25 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2027
- Primary National Offer Day16 Apr 2027
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2028
- Primary National Offer Day17 Apr 2028
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