Ofsted: Outstanding

The Dales School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personDr Sue Fisher

location_onBlyth, NE24 4RE

language Visit Website phone 1670352556

verified

Ofsted

Outstanding

Inspected 2018

groups

Students

188

school

Expected Standard

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Age Range

4-11

summarize

The Dales School is a Community special school school in Blyth, serving ages 4-11. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted — the highest possible grade.

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School Summary

The Dales School is a community special school in Blyth, Northumberland, admitting pupils aged 4-11. The school has approximately 212 pupils on roll, of whom 62% are eligible for free school meals.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2018. The school's current overall rating is Outstanding.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 6.8:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 1.7 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 56%

Reading0% LA 69%

Writing0% LA 68%

Maths0% LA 67%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 53%England 61%

Reading0% LA 70% · Eng 74%

Writing0% LA 67% · Eng 72%

Maths0% LA 64% · Eng 73%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 55%England 60%

Reading0% LA 71% · Eng 73%

Writing0% LA 68% · Eng 71%

Maths0% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

-12.0

Read

LA -0.9

-14.0 to -10.0

-10.7

Write

LA -0.7

-12.7 to -8.8

-12.2

Maths

LA -1.7

-14.1 to -10.3

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 61%England 65%

Reading5% LA 71% · Eng 73%

Writing0% LA 75% · Eng 78%

Maths0% LA 72% · Eng 79%

Read SS

100

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

-5.8

Read

LA -0.2

-8.6 to -3.0

-7.5

Write

LA 0.0

-10.0 to -4.9

-7.8

Maths

LA -0.9

-10.3 to -5.4

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 59%

Reading0% LA 72%

Writing0% LA 75%

Maths0% LA 68%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

-8.2

Read

LA -0.4

-11.2 to -5.2

-7.4

Write

LA 0.0

-10.3 to -4.5

-8.2

Maths

LA -1.2

-10.9 to -5.5

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

31 January 2024

Inspection Report

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18 September 2018

Inspection Report

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22 October 2013

Inspection Report

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11 October 2010

Inspection Report

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26 September 2007

Inspection Report

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20 September 2004

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2018-09-18

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2013-10-22

S5 Inspection Legacy

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

2010-10-11

None EIF

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

1.9%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

1.4%(3 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 212 pupils. During this period, there were 4 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 1.9%, which is below the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	212	4	1.9%	7.3%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	212	3	1.4%	7.8%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	198	1	0.5%	7.4%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	193	1	0.5%	7.1%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	191	6	3.1%	8.2%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	189	1	0.5%	6.6%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	188	5	2.7%	6.4%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	185	4	2.2%	5.9%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	169	3	1.8%	4.7%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	169	3	1.8%	4.9%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	164	2	1.2%	4.4%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	151	0	0.0%	3.6%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	148	0	0.0%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	144	0	0.0%	3.9%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	141	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	141	0	0.0%	3.2%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	135	1	0.7%	4.2%	0
2018/19 (Summer term)	128	2	1.6%	3.1%	0
2018/19 (Spring term)	98	0	0.0%	3.8%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	96	3	3.1%	3.8%	0
2017/18 (Summer term)	95	2	2.1%	3.4%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	89	2	2.2%	3.0%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	83	4	4.8%	3.7%	3
2016/17 (Summer term)	90	3	3.3%	3.0%	1
2016/17 (Spring term)	89	5	5.6%	3.3%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	85	0	0.0%	3.1%	0

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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psychology_alt

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 99 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 54 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 41 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 11 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 4 pupils

Severe Learning Difficulty 1 pupils

Visual Impairment 1 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 1 pupils

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Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

100.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

100.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

0.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree60%

agree30%

don't know10%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree70%

agree20%

disagree10%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree70%

not applicable30%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

yes100%

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree90%

agree10%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree60%

agree30%

don't know10%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree70%

agree30%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree90%

agree10%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree70%

agree20%

don't know10%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree20%

agree10%

disagree10%

don't know60%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree100%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes100%

The Dales School

School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

Staffing

Teacher Turnover