Skip to content
eduscope

Search

Search for schools, places and postcodes

eduscope

SavedCompareSign in

Schools in Barnard Castle

A town in County Durham

  • Town
  • 7 schools and nurseries
  • 1,215 pupils

In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are above England, and results at 16 were above England in 2026. Attendance is close to the England figure.

Three children with backpacks crossing a street
A red-brick school building under a blue sky

Barnard Castle at a glance

Ahead of England on results at 11

How Barnard Castle's schools compare with England, area by area.

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries73 primary · 1 secondary · 2 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1170%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths66%Attainment 8 57.0, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary22%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school19%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Barnard Castle

Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.

All Barnard Castle primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Barnard Castle

3 mainstream schools in Barnard Castle, best first

Montalbo Nursery & Primary School

Barnard Castle, DL12 8TN · State · Primary · Ages 3 to 11

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Results well above the England average.

42 first choices, 30 offers made

Met the standard at 1185%

England 62%

Days missed
4.3%
Pupils
240
Pupils per teacher
20.0
View school Montalbo Nursery & Primary School
See all 4 primary schools

Top Secondary Schools in Barnard Castle

1 mainstream schools in Barnard Castle, best first

Teesdale School and Sixth Form

Barnard Castle, DL12 8HH · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Results well above the England average.

94 first choices, 99 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1657.0

England 46.2

Days missed
7.9%
Pupils
684
Pupils per teacher
17.5
View school Teesdale School and Sixth Form
See all 2 secondary schools

Nurseries in Barnard Castle

2 in Barnard Castle, highest Ofsted grade first

Sixth Forms in Barnard Castle

2 in Barnard Castle, by the school's Eduscope score

Teesdale School and Sixth Form

Barnard Castle, DL12 8HH · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Results well above the England average.

94 first choices, 99 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1657.0

England 46.2

Days missed
7.9%
Pupils
684
Pupils per teacher
17.5
View school Teesdale School and Sixth Form

Barnard Castle School

Barnard Castle, DL12 8UN · Independent · All-through · Ages 4 to 19

  • ISI:Inspected

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
558
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Barnard Castle School

Private Schools in Barnard Castle

1 in Barnard Castle. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Barnard Castle School

Barnard Castle, DL12 8UN · Independent · All-through · Ages 4 to 19

  • ISI:Inspected

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
558
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Barnard Castle School
The map

Every school in Barnard Castle, on one map

Each dot is a school or nursery, coloured by its latest Ofsted grade. Point at a dot to see its name, or use the list.

See them as a list
Show
Montalbo Nursery & Primary School, OutstandingBarnard Castle School, InspectedTeesdale School and Sixth Form, OutstandingSt Mary's Catholic Primary School, Barnard Castle, GoodGreen Lane Church of England Primary School, GoodGreen Lane Nursery and Childcare Centre, Expected standard or betterLittle Meadows Nursery, Good
  • Outstanding2
  • Good3
  • Not graded yet2
Before you apply

Apply through the council where you live

Your home council handles your application, wherever the school is. Living nearby doesn't guarantee a place: each school's admission rules decide.

By age

What's on offer for each age

Pick a stage to see every Barnard Castle school for that age, with filters for type, faith and Ofsted grade.

More ways to narrow it down

Here's how Barnard Castle's schools break down by type, faith and more.

Postcodes

Browse Barnard Castle by postcode

Some areas, like parts of a bigger town, are easiest to find by postcode.

Barnard Castle vs England

How good are Barnard Castle's schools?

Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.

Worked out by Eduscope from each school's published figures. Not an official statistic for this town.

Numbers that sum up Barnard Castle

Barnard CastleEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 3 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding

    1 of the 1 with a grade.

    100%

    England 93%

    Above England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    70%

    England 62%

    Above England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    66%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

    Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.

    19%

    England 18%

    Close to England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    22%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 4 schools that have one.

100%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding2
  • Good2
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

Barnard Castle in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap50%70%90%20182019202320242025
70% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap40%60%80%2018201920222023202420252026
66% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%15%30%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
19% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Barnard Castle has 7 schools and nurseries.

There are 18% more pupils than in 2018, but numbers have fallen since 2025.

22% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Barnard Castle's state schools each January.

Up 18% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.

Free school meals

Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.

Barnard Castle22%

Dates to know

Apply through your local council, even for academies and faith schools.

  • 31 OctSecondary deadlineFor children starting Year 7.
  • 15 JanPrimary deadlineFor children starting Reception.
  • 1 MarSecondary offersOffers day for Year 7 places.
  • 16 AprPrimary offersOffers day for Reception places.

Keep up with schools in Barnard Castle

Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.

Find a school to follow
Questions

Questions parents ask about Barnard Castle

Nearby areas

How many schools are in Barnard Castle?

Barnard Castle has 7 schools, including 4 primary schools, 2 secondary schools, 2 nurseries, 1 independent school. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Barnard Castle?

The highest-ranked schools in Barnard Castle on Eduscope are Montalbo Nursery & Primary School, Teesdale School and Sixth Form, St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Barnard Castle. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.

What percentage of schools in Barnard Castle are rated Good or Outstanding?

100% of inspected schools in Barnard Castle hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 2 schools rated Outstanding and 2 rated Good.

How do primary schools in Barnard Castle perform at Key Stage 2?

Across primary schools in Barnard Castle, 70% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.

What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Barnard Castle?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Barnard Castle is 19.1:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.

What is the persistent absence rate in Barnard Castle schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Barnard Castle is 19.0%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.

How many pupils attend schools in Barnard Castle?

There are 1,215 pupils enrolled across schools in Barnard Castle, with 531 in primary and 684 in secondary. 18.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How many private schools are in Barnard Castle?

There is 1 independent school in Barnard Castle. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare it on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.

How do I choose the right school in Barnard Castle?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 7 schools in Barnard Castle by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.

Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.

Search

Search for schools, places and postcodes