Academy sponsor led · Darlington

The Rydal Academy

2–11Ages
584Pupils
PrimaryPhase
138989URN

Rydal Road, Darlington, DL1 4BH · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Dec 2022 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.6per place

0.5 below Darlington median (2.1)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Darlington

107 applications for 66 places · 22nd of 25 in Darlington

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

46%met the expected standard

Darlington 68% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 6 December 2022Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
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

Inspection history

6 December 2022
Graded inspection: Good
5 December 2019
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Concerns)

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

1.6applications per place, Reception

0.5 below Darlington median (2.1) 0.6 below England median (2.2)

107 applications · 66 places offered · 58 named it first

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 1.6; Darlington median median 2.1
2025 2.0; Darlington median median 2.1
2024 1.5; Darlington median median 2.1
2023 1.5; Darlington median median 1.5
2022 1.0; Darlington median median 1.6
2021 1.4; Darlington median median 1.6
2020 1.4; Darlington median median 1.7
2019 1.4; Darlington median median 1.7
2018 1.3; Darlington median median 1.7
2017 1.2; Darlington median median 1.8
2016 1.6; Darlington median median 1.9
2015 1.6; Darlington median median 2.1
2014 1.4; Darlington median median 1.9

More applications per place than the Darlington median in 0 of 13 years.

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	66	107	1.6	58	0.88
Sep 2025	56	109	2.0	50	0.89
Sep 2024	81	124	1.5	64	0.79
Sep 2023	56	82	1.5	55	0.98
Sep 2022	82	85	1.0	56	0.68
Sep 2021	46	65	1.4	45	0.98
Sep 2020	62	86	1.4	59	0.95
Sep 2019	64	90	1.4	56	0.88
Sep 2018	60	77	1.3	53	0.88
Sep 2017	60	74	1.2	51	0.85
Sep 2016	60	95	1.6	53	0.88
Sep 2015	76	119	1.6	68	0.89
Sep 2014	74	100	1.4	56	0.76

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 62% · Writing 54% · Maths 60% → all three 46% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard46%24th of 27 in Darlington

Darlington 68% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard62%

Darlington 77% England 78%

Higher standard26%

Darlington 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard54%

Darlington 77% England 75%

Greater depth5%

Darlington 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard60%

Darlington 77% England 77%

Higher standard20%

Darlington 23% England 24%

Average scaled score 101 (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	46%	4%	103	101
2023/24	33%	1%	101	99
2022/23	38%	2%	104	102

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

The Rydal AcademyThis school
This school

Good2022

1.6applications per place 46%met the SATs standard
St John's Church of England Academy
0.5 km · Darlington

Outstanding2022

3.3applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School
0.9 km · Darlington

Remains Good2024

2.2applications per place 85%met the SATs standard
Skerne Park Academy
1.0 km · Darlington

Requires improvement2024

1.8applications per place 35%met the SATs standard
Firthmoor Primary School
1.1 km · Darlington

2026

2.1applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Heathfield Primary School
1.2 km · Darlington

Standards maintained2025

2.1applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
St Augustine's Catholic Primary School
1.5 km · Darlington

Good2024

4.6applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College
1.9 km · Darlington

Not yet inspected
Corporation Road Community Primary School
1.9 km · Darlington

Good2023

1.9applications per place 71%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 sponsor led
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 138989 · 841/2005
Trust: Northern Arch Learning Partnership
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 630 pupils · 584 on roll
Free school meals: 51.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 December 2012
Replaced: Dodmire School (URN 135741)
Address: Rydal Road, Darlington, DL1 4BH
Local authority: Darlington

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