Schools by area › Darlington › The Rydal Academy
The Rydal Academy
Primary · Mixed · Ages 2–11 · Sponsored academy
Rydal Road, Darlington DL1 4BH · rydal.nalp.org.uk · 01325 380784
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Dec 2022
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 46%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Darlington 62%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 584
- 93% of 630 places
- Local authority
- Darlington
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 51.6%
- First language not English
- 11.6%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 58 families put the school first and 66 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 66 | 58 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 56 | 50 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 81 | 64 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 56 | 55 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 82 | 56 | 0.7 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 46% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 4% the higher standard. Across Darlington it was 62%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▼46% | 62% | ||
| ▼4% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▼103 | 106 | ||
| ▼101 | 105 | ||
| ●103 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
The Rydal Academy was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 6 December 2022, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 6 Dec 2022
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
Previously: Concerns, ungraded inspection, Dec 2019
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Dec 2019Ungraded inspectionConcerns
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
May 2016Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Safeguarding Effective Apr 2014Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Good
What parents said
91% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (23 replies, to 4 September 2023).
- Recommend
- 91%
- Replies
- 23
- 4% · 4 Sept 2023
based on the 70% who raised concerns
based on the 35% who had a child bullied