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Polam Hall School

All-through · Mixed · Ages 4–16 · Free school

Grange Road, Darlington DL1 5PA · phs.woodard.co.uk · 01325 463383

On the mapSearch near DL1 5PA

Overview

Ofsted
Report card
Nov 2025 · graded by area, with no overall grade
GCSEs, 2024/25
44.6
average Attainment 8 score. Darlington 44.3, England 46
Demand for places
0.9
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
842
95% of 882 places
Local authority
Darlington
Sixth form
No
Nursery class
No
Free school meals
31.2%
First language not English
15.4%
School census 2025/26
Trust
Woodard Academies Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 101 families put the school first and 107 places were offered; 97% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 88 (Places 109)88September 2023: 114 (Places 110)114September 2024: 108 (Places 108)108September 2025: 115 (Places 108)115September 2026: 101 (Places 107)101Places 107
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20261071010.997%
September 2025Sept 20251081151.1▲87%
September 2024Sept 2024108108195%
September 2023Sept 20231101141▲83%
September 2022Sept 2022109880.8100%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 44.6, and 37.8% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Darlington it was 44.3, and across England 46.

In 2024/25, 59% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 6% the higher standard. Across Darlington it was 62%, and across England 62%.

In 2018/19 the average A level result was grade D+ (24 points per entry).

Key stage 2 results

Expected standard reading, writing and maths

2019/20 to 2021/22: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1922/2323/2424/252015/16: 37% (England 53%)37%2016/17: 50% (England 61%)50%2017/18: 55% (England 64%)55%2018/19: 50% (England 65%)50%2022/23: 58% (England 60%)58%2023/24: 63% (England 61%)63%2024/25: 59% (England 62%)59%England 62%
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
Reading, writing and maths
▼59%62%
●6%8%
Average scaled score
●104106
●105105
●104105

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 43.2 (England 46.3)43.22017/18: 43.4 (England 46.5)43.42018/19: 48.6 (England 46.7)48.62021/22: 49.8 (England 48.8)49.82022/23: 42.7 (England 46.3)42.72023/24: 42.0 (England 45.9)42.02024/25: 44.6 (England 46.0)44.6England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
●44.646.0
▼37.8%45.4%
●63.3%64.8%
▼33.3%40.5%
●4.034.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form9.4+1.1
Sixth form college32.9−8.8
Further education36.5+1.8
Apprenticeship3.5+2.1
Employment2.4−0.4
Not in a lasting destination9.4+1.1
Activity not captured5.9+4.5

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

15/1616/1717/1818/192015/16: 25.1 (England 30.5)C-2016/17: 24.0 (England 31.1)D+2017/18: 23.4 (England 32.1)D+2018/19: 24.0 (England 32.9)D+England 32.9
2018/19TrendAverage gradeProgress
26 studentsD+ (24)Below average -0.39
26 studentsD+ (24.3)Below average -0.38
0%AAB or better
92%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2017/1821D+ (23.4)-0.77
2016/1727D+ (24)-0.61
2015/1614C- (25.1)-0.59

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/19
Left in 2018/19Since 2016/17
University50−6
Further and other education17−11
Further education8−8
Other education8−4
Apprenticeship8+4
Employment40
Not in a lasting destination4−4
Activity not captured17—

Ofsted

Ofsted inspected Polam Hall School on 25 November 2025 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.

Inspected
25 Nov 2025
Report card
Safeguarding
Met

Inspection reports

Graded areas

InclusionExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
AchievementExpected standard
Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
Personal development and well-beingStrong standard
Early yearsExpected standard
Leadership and governanceExpected standard

Previously: Good, graded inspection, Oct 2021

Earlier inspections

September 2019 to November 2025

  • Oct 2021Good
    Quality of educationGood
    Behaviour and attitudesGood
    Personal developmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    Early yearsGood
    SafeguardingEffective

Before September 2019

  • Apr 2018Requires improvement
    Outcomes for pupilsRequires improvement
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentRequires improvement
    Personal development, behaviour and welfareRequires improvement
    Leadership and managementRequires improvement
    Early yearsGood
    16 to 19 study programmesRequires improvement
    SafeguardingEffective

What parents said

75% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (138 replies, to 6 April 2026).

Recommend
75%
Positive
70%
Replies
138
16% · 6 Apr 2026
Child is happy at school▼75% agreeEngland 84%
Child feels safe▼80% agreeEngland 85%
Pupils are well behaved▼67% agreeEngland 78%
Gets the right support to learn▼70% agreeEngland 78%
School communicates well▼62% agreeEngland 77%
Acts in child’s best interests▼63% agreeEngland 76%
Concerns are dealt with properly▼58% agreeEngland 74%

based on the 91% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▼37% agreeEngland 43%

based on 43 parents (31%) whose child was bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▼45% agreeEngland 63%

based on 47 parents (34%) with SEND

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