Academy converter · Darlington

St Bede's Catholic Primary School

3–11Ages
322Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
138523URN

Kingsway, Thompson Street East, Darlington, DL1 3ES · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Dec 2024 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.0per place

close to Darlington median (2.1)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Darlington

92 applications for 45 places · 15th of 25 in Darlington

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

64%met the expected standard

Darlington 68% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 3 December 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		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 entry

2.0applications per place, Reception

close to Darlington median (2.1) close to England median (2.2)

92 applications · 45 places offered · 49 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.0; Darlington median median 2.1
2025 2.0; Darlington median median 2.1
2024 2.1; Darlington median median 2.1
2023 1.7; Darlington median median 1.5
2022 1.6; Darlington median median 1.6
2021 1.8; Darlington median median 1.6
2020 1.9; Darlington median median 1.7
2019 1.9; Darlington median median 1.7
2018 2.0; Darlington median median 1.7
2017 2.3; Darlington median median 1.8
2016 1.8; Darlington median median 1.9
2015 2.2; Darlington median median 2.1
2014 2.2; Darlington median median 1.9

This school
Darlington median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, 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	45	92	2.0	49	1.09
Sep 2025	39	76	2.0	39	1.00
Sep 2024	32	68	2.1	28	0.88
Sep 2023	39	67	1.7	39	1.00
Sep 2022	45	74	1.6	47	1.04
Sep 2021	41	75	1.8	41	1.00
Sep 2020	45	85	1.9	45	1.00
Sep 2019	45	86	1.9	44	0.98
Sep 2018	45	91	2.0	45	1.00
Sep 2017	36	81	2.3	35	0.97
Sep 2016	45	80	1.8	43	0.96
Sep 2015	45	97	2.2	49	1.09
Sep 2014	45	101	2.2	45	1.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 67% · Writing 86% · Maths 81% → all three 64% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard64%17th of 27 in Darlington

Darlington 68% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard67%

Darlington 77% England 78%

Higher standard40%

Darlington 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard86%

Darlington 77% England 75%

Greater depth14%

Darlington 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard81%

Darlington 77% England 77%

Higher standard29%

Darlington 23% England 24%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Darlington median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	64%	5%	106	106
2023/24	63%	6%	105	103
2022/23	44%	4%	104	103

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

St Bede's Catholic Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.0applications per place 64%met the SATs standard
Harrowgate Hill Primary School
0.8 km · Darlington

2026

2.2applications per place 48%met the SATs standard
Springfield Academy
0.9 km · Darlington

2026

2.7applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
Northwood Primary School
1.0 km · Darlington

Remains Good2024

1.6applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
Whinfield Primary School
1.1 km · Darlington

Remains Good2022

1.8applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
Gurney Pease Academy
1.3 km · Darlington

2026

2.1applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Red Hall Primary School
1.8 km · Darlington

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.3applications per place 25%met the SATs standard
Corporation Road Community Primary School
2.0 km · Darlington

Good2023

1.9applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
Reid Street Primary School
2.3 km · Darlington

Remains Good2022

1.8applications per place 57%met the SATs standard

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 converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 138523 · 841/3512
Trust: Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 289 pupils · 322 on roll
Free school meals: 11.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 August 2012
Replaced: St Bede's RC Primary School (URN 114284)
Address: Kingsway, Thompson Street East, Darlington, DL1 3ES
Local authority: Darlington

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources