Graded inspection · Oct 2024 Previous framework
- Quality of education
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Personal development
- Leadership and management
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 |
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 entry205 applications · 130 places offered · 122 named it first
- 2026 1.6; Darlington median median 1.7
- 2025 1.8; Darlington median median 1.8
- 2024 1.9; Darlington median median 1.9
- 2023 1.4; Darlington median median 1.5
- 2022 1.5; Darlington median median 1.5
- 2021 1.5; Darlington median median 1.5
- 2020 1.5; Darlington median median 1.5
- 2019 1.5; Darlington median median 1.5
- 2018 1.7; Darlington median median 1.7
- 2017 1.6; Darlington median median 2.0; as the previous school
- 2016 1.8; Darlington median median 2.0; as the previous school
- 2015 1.9; Darlington median median 2.1; as the previous school
- 2014 1.7; Darlington median median 2.1; as the previous school
- This school
- Darlington median
Dashed bars: as Longfield Academy of Sport (URN 137222), Longfield School (URN 114322), the previous school.
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 | 130 | 205 | 1.6 | 122 | 0.94 |
| Sep 2025 | 90 | 163 | 1.8 | 86 | 0.96 |
| Sep 2024 | 89 | 165 | 1.9 | 87 | 0.98 |
| Sep 2023 | 135 | 182 | 1.4 | 116 | 0.86 |
| Sep 2022 | 141 | 206 | 1.5 | 132 | 0.94 |
| Sep 2021 | 175 | 253 | 1.5 | 165 | 0.94 |
| Sep 2020 | 177 | 258 | 1.5 | 157 | 0.89 |
| Sep 2019 | 180 | 264 | 1.5 | 180 | 1.00 |
| Sep 2018 | 179 | 295 | 1.7 | 188 | 1.05 |
| Sep 2017 * | 181 | 294 | 1.6 | 181 | 1.00 |
| Sep 2016 * | 180 | 329 | 1.8 | 218 | 1.21 |
| Sep 2015 * | 180 | 341 | 1.9 | 197 | 1.09 |
| Sep 2014 * | 179 | 311 | 1.7 | 169 | 0.94 |
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.) | 164 | 39.8 | 34% | 50% | – |
| 2024/25 | 149 | 42.8 | 44% | 60% | – |
| 2023/24 | 172 | 43.6 | 42% | 66% | −0.47 |
| 2022/23 | 155 | 46.5 | 39% | 62% | −0.09 |
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
- Longfield AcademyThis schoolThis schoolGraded · no overall grade20241.6applications per place 39.8Attainment 8
- 1.9 km · Darlington20261.6applications per place 42.3Attainment 8
- 2.9 km · DarlingtonSome aspects not as strong20251.5applications per place 41.6Attainment 8
- 3.0 km · DarlingtonGood20231.7applications per place 41.3Attainment 8
- 3.3 km · Darlington20252.7applications per place 45.9Attainment 8
- 3.3 km · DarlingtonGraded · no overall grade20242.4applications per place 52.7Attainment 8
- 4.0 km · Darlington20261.7applications per place 50.7Attainment 8
- 5.5 km · County DurhamGood202433.4Attainment 8
- 7.2 km · DarlingtonGood20221.8applications per place 42.4Attainment 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
- 145577 · 841/4003
- Capacity
- 900 pupils · 660 on roll
- Free school meals
- 38.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Opened
- 1 March 2018
- Replaced
- Longfield Academy of Sport (URN 137222); Longfield School (URN 114322)
- Address
- Longfield Road, Darlington, DL3 0HT
- Local authority
- Darlington
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources