Church of St Michael and All Angels · Photo: Robert Graham · CC BY-SA 2.0Witton Gilbert’s state schools trail 60% of towns in England on results
Reading, writing and maths at the expected standard: 58% of primary pupils in Witton Gilbert, below both County Durham’s towns (62%) and towns in England (62%). 1 state-funded school is located in Witton Gilbert’s built-up area. Witton Gilbert grades C+ for schools, on Department for Education Key Stage 2 and GCSE results: #33 of 52 in County Durham. Ofsted is shown, not graded.
Town figures are pupil-weighted across the schools the grade uses; England’s are the average school.
Witton Gilbert grades C+ for schools
Against every town in England with results; Wales publishes none.
Witton Gilbert has 1 primary of its own with KS2 results, too few to judge on, so the primary figure uses the 10 graded primaries in and within 3 km of the town (636 pupils in results). Witton Gilbert has no secondaries of its own with GCSE results, so the secondary figure uses the 2 graded secondaries in and within 3 km of the town (277 pupils in results). Mainstream state schools only (grammar schools included); special schools, alternative provision, nurseries and 16–19 colleges are listed below but not graded. Each school’s results are compared with every school in England, then weighted by its pupils.
Where Witton Gilbert’s state school is
Each school at its address, coloured by its own letter and sized by pupils. Open a school for its own page. The dashed shape is Witton Gilbert’s built-up area.
Most schools give places by distance once siblings are in, so the schools nearest a home matter more than any league table.
How school places work in Witton Gilbert
County Durham Council handles applications for every state school in Witton Gilbert, academies included. You apply to the council where you live, even for a school in another area.
When a school is full
Every school publishes its admissions rules. Children in care come first, then, at most schools, brothers and sisters of current pupils, then those who live nearest. Infant classes are limited to 30 by law. If you’re refused a place, you can appeal to an independent panel.
Useful: Apply for a primary place (GOV.UK) · Apply for a secondary place (GOV.UK) · How admissions criteria work
1 state school in Witton Gilbert
Each school’s own letter compares its results with every state school in England of the same phase: Key Stage 2 for primaries, GCSEs for secondaries. Open a school for its results, how its letter is worked out, Ofsted and a map.
Key result: Attainment 8 and grade 5+ English and maths (GCSEs, 2025/26 provisional) for secondaries; the share meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (KS2, DfE’s three-year average) for primaries. Pupils: the January 2026 school census. No letter: an infant or first school (no KS2 tests), a new school, a small cohort DfE suppresses, or a special school, nursery or college. Independent schools aren’t included.
Ofsted inspections
Each school’s latest inspection; report cards replace one-word judgements as schools are re-inspected.
Since November 2025 Ofsted gives each area of a school one of five grades (exceptional, strong standard, expected standard, needs attention, urgent improvement) and says whether safeguarding is met, instead of one overall word. 0 of Witton Gilbert’s 1 state schools have a report card so far; the others show their last inspection under the old framework. Ofsted is never part of the School Grade.
106th of 195 English towns of 2,500 to 3,000
Ranked by School Grade, best first: the towns either side of Witton Gilbert, and the top and bottom of the group.
| # | Town | Schools | KS2 | Attainment 8 | Grade 5+ E&M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Collingham Nottinghamshire | A+ | 82% | — | — |
| … | |||||
| 102 | Drybrook Gloucestershire | C+ | 66% | 41.1 | 32% |
| 103 | Keele Staffordshire | C+ | 62% | 43.2 | 40% |
| 104 | Ormesby St Margaret Norfolk | C+ | 60% | 47.9 | 38% |
| 105 | Kingsclere Hampshire | C+ | 60% | — | — |
| 106 | Witton Gilbert County Durham | C+ | 58% | 46.8 | 44% |
| 107 | Scotter Lincolnshire | C+ | 60% | — | — |
| 108 | Dunchurch Warwickshire | C+ | 54% | 48.4 | 48% |
| 109 | West Clyst Devon | C+ | 53% | 48.4 | 50% |
| 110 | Grimsargh Lancashire | C+ | 55% | 48.2 | 46% |
| … | |||||
| 195 | Holme upon Spalding Moor East Riding of Yorkshire | D− | 39% | — | — |
Witton Gilbert and the places around it
Coloured by School Grade.
| Town | Schools | KS2 | Att. 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Witton Gilbert 1 school | C+ | 58% | 46.8 |
| Sacriston 1 school · uses schools within 3 km · 0.8 mi | B+ | 64% | 48.9 |
| Langley Park 1 school · uses schools within 3 km · 1.8 mi | D | 56% | 39 |
| Ushaw Moor and Bearpark 4 schools · uses schools within 3 km · 2.1 mi | B− | 50% | 52.8 |
| New Brancepeth 1 school · uses schools within 3 km · 2.9 mi | C | 61% | 39 |
| Burnhope 1 school · uses schools within 3 km · 3.1 mi | B+ | 67% | 45.8 |
| Durham 21 schools · 3.3 mi | A | 72% | 53 |
| Whitehill 0 schools · uses schools within 3 km · 3.4 mi | B+ | 65% | 48.2 |
Durham has the best-graded schools nearby (A). Small places often use the schools within 3 km, so neighbours can share schools.
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Expected standard at Key Stage 2. The share of 11-year-olds who reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths together, in tests and teacher assessment at the end of primary school. We use DfE’s three-year average (2023–2025) to steady small schools.
- Higher standard. The share working at greater depth in all three. In Witton Gilbert: 10% (England’s average school: 8%).
- Attainment 8. A pupil’s GCSE grades across eight subjects, with English and maths counted twice, added up. 50 is roughly a grade 5 in every subject.
- Grade 5+ in English and maths. A strong pass in both. Grade 4 is a standard pass.
- Provisional. 2025/26 GCSE figures are DfE’s first release; revised figures follow in February, usually within a point.
- Progress 8. Not shown: there is none for 2025/26, because these pupils sat no KS2 tests in 2020 (Covid).
- Free school meals. Pupils eligible for free school meals now, from the January census: the usual measure of how many pupils come from low-income homes.
- Independent schools. Not included: they publish no results comparable with state schools’.
Questions about schools in Witton Gilbert
Are schools in Witton Gilbert good?
Witton Gilbert’s state schools earn a C+ against schools across England: primary results beat 33% of towns in England; secondary results beat 52% of towns in England, on Department for Education Key Stage 2 and GCSE results. School places are handled by County Durham council.
How do I apply for a school place in Witton Gilbert?
Through County Durham Council, for every state school including academies. Secondary applications close on 31 October (offers 1 March); primary on 15 January (offers 16 April).
How many state schools are in Witton Gilbert?
1 open state-funded school is located in Witton Gilbert’s built-up area: 1 primary, 0 secondary and 0 other (special schools, alternative provision, nurseries and 16–19). Independent schools aren’t included.
Sources: DfE Get Information about Schools (16 October 2026), Key Stage 2 performance tables (2023–2025, three-year average) and Key Stage 4 (2025/26, provisional); Ofsted state-funded school inspections as at 30 September 2026 · DfE Get Information about Schools (16 October 2026), further-education and sixth-form colleges · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.