Schools by area › Darlington › Skerne Park Academy
Skerne Park Academy
Primary · Mixed · Ages 2–11 · Sponsored academy
Coleridge Gardens, Darlington DL1 5AJ · skernepark.org.uk · 01325 380831
Overview
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement
- 2019 framework · inspected Jun 2024
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 35%
- 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
- 248
- 59% of 420 places
- Local authority
- Darlington
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 57.3%
- First language not English
- 14.9%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 15 families put the school first and 17 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 | 17 | 15 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 31 | 30 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 28 | 28 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 30 | 30 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 31 | 30 | 1 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 35% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 5% 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 | |||
| ▼35% | 62% | ||
| ▼5% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▼98 | 106 | ||
| ▼99 | 105 | ||
| ▼98 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
Skerne Park Academy was judged Requires improvement at its last graded inspection, on 18 June 2024, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Requires improvement
- Inspected
- 18 Jun 2024
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Requires improvement |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Requires improvement |
| Early years | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Feb 2022
Other inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
- Jun 2025Monitoring visitEffective action
- May 2023Monitoring visitEffective action
Feb 2022Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
May 2018Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Good Safeguarding Effective Oct 2014Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good
What parents said
77% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (26 replies, to 7 April 2025).
- Recommend
- 77%
- Replies
- 26
- 9% · 7 Apr 2025
based on the 81% who raised concerns
based on the 62% who had a child bullied
based on 11 parents (42%) with SEND