Brunton First School, Newcastle Great Park
The largest first school in the Gosforth Schools Trust, purpose-built in 2009 for the Newcastle Great Park development. Rated Good at every inspection since opening.
Brunton First School on Roseden Way was purpose-built in 2009 to serve the growing Newcastle Great Park housing development — the largest in the North East. With around 451 pupils and a Published Admission Number of 90 per year group, it's the biggest first school in the Gosforth Schools Trust.
The Basics
Brunton First School is at Roseden Way, NE13 9BD. The school takes children from Reception through to Year 4 (ages 4-9). Headteacher Mrs Bev Armstrong has led the school since October 2021. The school motto is "Come as you are and grow with us."
Despite being in the NE13 postcode, Brunton is firmly within the Gosforth school pyramid. Children feed into Gosforth Junior High Academy at Year 5, then on to Gosforth Academy.
Ofsted
The school has been rated Good at every inspection since opening — in 2011, 2015, 2019, and most recently in October 2024. The 2024 inspection was one of the first under Ofsted's new framework (which no longer awards a single headline grade), but the positive findings confirmed the school's continued Good standing.
Inspectors described the curriculum as "thoughtfully structured" and noted it captures "pupils' imagination." Early reading teaching was praised, with pupils attaining "well above average standards" by the end of Key Stage 1. Behaviour was highlighted: pupils "behave extremely well and are particularly mature for their age."
Curriculum and Sport
The school runs a wide range of after-school sports clubs with external coaches, and has a daily mile programme to keep children active. A skipping festival is among the regular sporting activities.
The school's inclusive culture prioritises character development alongside academic achievement, with every child beginning what they describe as a "Journey for Life."
Great Park Context
Newcastle Great Park is the largest housing development in the North East, with house building underway since 2001. Brunton First School opened in September 2009 as the estate's first school. A second first school — Havannah First School — opened in 2022 to serve newer phases of the development, so Brunton is no longer the only school for Great Park families.
Admissions
Applications are managed through Newcastle City Council. The school is oversubscribed, with 451 pupils against a capacity of 450. Contact the school on 0191 217 0045 or email office@bruntonfirst.co.uk.
For a broader overview, see our guide to the [Best Schools in Gosforth](/blog/best-schools-in-gosforth).