Headteacher's Welcome

Welcome to Richard Coates CE Primary School's website.

We are proud to be a Church of England school at the heart of Ponteland and a member of Pele Trust. We are a community where children, families and staff know one another well and where everyone is valued and respected as a unique individual.

The school first came into being nearly 300 years ago, making it one of the oldest established schools in Northumberland. We are proud of that history and of our long reputation for helping every child achieve their full potential academically, socially and personally.

Our school vision, "Let Your Light Shine", is taken from the Gospel of St Matthew and encapsulates the aim of our school: to ensure each child achieves their full potential academically, socially and personally, making the most of the gifts and talents they have been given. You can read more on our Vision and Values page.

Our curriculum is designed to engage children and inspire them to become creative, independent thinkers with a love of learning. Reading sits at its heart, beginning with carefully taught phonics in the early years so that children develop into fluent, confident readers. In mathematics, children build secure number facts step by step, giving them the confidence to reason and solve problems. Across every subject, we want lessons that bring learning to life through doing: investigating, making, performing and exploring outside the classroom. Children are encouraged to be curious and to ask big questions about the world and their place in it.

Our extensive programme of clubs, trips and visits covers a wide range of subjects, talents and hobbies, and we encourage every child to get involved and contribute to the life of the school.

Children thrive when they feel happy and safe and when home and school work together. We value our partnership with families and love sharing in children's progress and successes.

Success and celebration are at the heart of all we do and we look forward to sharing them with visitors. If you would like to know more or arrange a visit, please contact the school office at admin@richard-coates.uk.

James Watson
Headteacher