OFSTED
6 December 2022
Latest graded inspection
Latest published outcome
Good
OEIF
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour & attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership & management
Good
INSPECTION HISTORY
Previous Ofsted activity
5 December 2019
Ungraded inspection
School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next
Published
7 January 2020
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Academy sponsor led
Phase
Primary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Does not apply
Local authority
Darlington
Trust
NORTHERN ARCH LEARNING PARTNERSHIP
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
584
543 full-time ·
41 part-time
Female pupils
272
46.6% of pupils
Male pupils
312
53.4% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
23.1 pts
above England
School
47.9%
Darlington
28.9%
North East
32.0%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
8.7 pts
below England
School
11.6%
Darlington
10.6%
North East
10.0%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
0.0 pts
in line with England
School
1.0%
Darlington
0.6%
North East
0.9%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
70.9%
414
African
7.0%
41
Gypsy / Roma
6.2%
36
Any other White background
5.1%
30
Indian
2.1%
12
Traveller of Irish heritage
1.9%
11
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
25.3%
148 of
584 pupils
4.5 pts
above England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
6.4 pts
above
England
6.0%
1.9 pts
below
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2024/25
Key stage 2 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
EXPECTED STANDARD
Reading, writing & maths
46.0%
14.4 pts
below England
EXPECTED STANDARD
62.0%
Reading
11.8 pts below England
School
62.0%
Darlington
69.9%
North East
73.1%
England
73.8%
EXPECTED STANDARD
54.0%
Writing
16.3 pts below England
School
54.0%
Darlington
70.2%
North East
71.1%
England
70.3%
EXPECTED STANDARD
60.0%
Maths
12.0 pts below England
School
60.0%
Darlington
71.3%
North East
72.3%
England
72.0%
School results show the percentage of
pupils meeting the expected standard.
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages and are not
pupil-weighted official attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
7.75%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
1.53 pts
higher than
England
School
7.75%
Darlington
6.19%
North East
6.28%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
25.51%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
9.69 pts
higher than
England
School
25.51%
Darlington
17.45%
North East
16.04%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
5.87%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
4.07 pts
higher than
England
School
5.87%
Darlington
2.16%
North East
1.83%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open primary schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
92.7%
4.5 pts
above England
The Rydal Academy
92.7%
Darlington
94.4%
North East
87.8%
England
88.2%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.