This schoolOther secondary schools in Darlington
What did Ofsted find?
Ofsted data to 30 September 2026| Area | Outstanding | Good | Requires improvement | Inadequate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good | |||
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good | |||
| Personal development | Good | |||
| Leadership and management | Good |
Inspection history
- 11 June 2025Ungraded inspection: Some aspects not as strong
- 7 January 2020Graded inspection: Good
Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades
About these grades
Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.
How hard is it to get a place?
DfE · Sept 2026 entry124 applications · 83 places offered · 76 named it first
FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.
- 2026 1.5; Darlington median median 1.7
- 2025 1.5; Darlington median median 1.8
- 2024 1.3; Darlington median median 1.9
- 2023 1.1; Darlington median median 1.5
- 2022 1.3; Darlington median median 1.5
- 2021 1.3; Darlington median median 1.5
- 2020 1.1; Darlington median median 1.5
- 2019 0.9; Darlington median median 1.5
- 2018 0.8; Darlington median median 1.7
- 2017 0.7; Darlington median median 2.0
- 2016 0.6; Darlington median median 2.0
- 2015 1.0; Darlington median median 2.1
- 2014 1.4; Darlington median median 2.1
- This school
- Darlington median
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council
How this is measured
Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.
| Entry | Places | Applications | Per place | First preferences | First-pref. ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 83 | 124 | 1.5 | 76 | 0.92 |
| Sep 2025 | 116 | 169 | 1.5 | 109 | 0.94 |
| Sep 2024 | 127 | 170 | 1.3 | 120 | 0.94 |
| Sep 2023 | 125 | 141 | 1.1 | 94 | 0.75 |
| Sep 2022 | 97 | 123 | 1.3 | 90 | 0.93 |
| Sep 2021 | 110 | 145 | 1.3 | 103 | 0.94 |
| Sep 2020 | 129 | 145 | 1.1 | 99 | 0.77 |
| Sep 2019 | 136 | 127 | 0.9 | 81 | 0.60 |
| Sep 2018 | 113 | 91 | 0.8 | 60 | 0.53 |
| Sep 2017 | 130 | 85 | 0.7 | 53 | 0.41 |
| Sep 2016 | 114 | 65 | 0.6 | 27 | 0.24 |
| Sep 2015 | 139 | 134 | 1.0 | 71 | 0.51 |
| Sep 2014 | 126 | 171 | 1.4 | 85 | 0.67 |
How did pupils do at GCSE?
DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisionalEvery year as a table
| Year | Pupils | Attainment 8 | 5+ Eng & maths | 4+ Eng & maths | Progress 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (prov.) | 109 | 41.6 | 41% | 60% | – |
| 2024/25 | 110 | 40.0 | 41% | 59% | – |
| 2023/24 | 122 | 35.5 | 25% | 48% | −0.96 |
| 2022/23 | 86 | 42.7 | 36% | 54% | −0.13 |
Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.
Schools nearby
The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority
- St Aidan's Church of England AcademyThis schoolThis schoolSome aspects not as strong20251.5applications per place 41.6Attainment 8
- 1.7 km · Darlington20261.6applications per place 42.3Attainment 8
- 2.0 km · Darlington20252.7applications per place 45.9Attainment 8
- 2.9 km · DarlingtonGraded · no overall grade20241.6applications per place 39.8Attainment 8
- 3.5 km · DarlingtonGraded · no overall grade20242.4applications per place 52.7Attainment 8
- 4.0 km · Darlington20261.7applications per place 50.7Attainment 8
- 4.4 km · DarlingtonGood20231.7applications per place 41.3Attainment 8
- 4.7 km · DarlingtonGood20221.8applications per place 42.4Attainment 8
- 8.3 km · County DurhamGood202433.4Attainment 8
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
- Does not apply
Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.
School details
- Type
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase
- Secondary
- URN · DfE number
- 135314 · 841/6905
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Capacity
- 700 pupils · 587 on roll
- Free school meals
- 45.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Opened
- 1 September 2007
- Replaced
- Eastbourne Comprehensive School (URN 114319)
- Address
- Hundens Lane, Darlington, DL1 1LL
- Local authority
- Darlington
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources