Darlinghurst Academy, Leigh-on-Sea
Darlinghurst Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Leigh-on-Sea, part of Legra Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 6th-highest of the 8 schools in Leigh-on-Sea with published results, and 8,950th of 14,452 across England. It was 60% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Southend-on-Sea (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Darlinghurst Academy in detail
Darlinghurst Academy in its own words
In its own words: "You are warmly welcome to visit the academy and experience our community in action by arranging a tour at a convenient time. At Darlinghurst Academy, our ambition is to build a true culture of excellence in education."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils at Darlinghurst Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 74% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 74% in Southend-on-Sea and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 94% in reading and 87% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Darlinghurst Academy
For September 2026 entry, 61 families put Darlinghurst Academy as their first choice and 141 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 6 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Darlinghurst Academy are Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 82% reading, 71% maths); Chalkwell Hall Infant School (0.4 miles, Good); Chalkwell Hall Junior School (0.4 miles); and Blenheim Primary School (0.4 miles, Outstanding, 75% reading, 81% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Darlinghurst Academy.
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary SchoolChalkwell Hall Infant SchoolChalkwell Hall Junior SchoolBlenheim Primary School
The trust
Darlinghurst Academy is one of 2 schools run by Legra Academy Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
79 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Darlinghurst Academy (as of September 2025): 95% would recommend the school, 98% say their child is happy there and 71% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (98%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (71%).
Who goes there
11% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (70%), Asian (9%) and Mixed (6%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Chalkwell Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Middlesex Avenue (s-bound), 180 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Darlinghurst Academy stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Darlinghurst Academy issued 9 suspensions, 1.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Darlinghurst Academy are Westcliff High School for Girls (0.2 miles), Westcliff High School for Boys Academy (0.2 miles), St Thomas More High School (0.4 miles) and The Eastwood Academy (0.9 miles).
Westcliff High School for GirlsWestcliff High School for Boys AcademySt Thomas More High SchoolThe Eastwood Academy
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from June 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school has improved significantly.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Darlinghurst Academy excels at creating a warm, welcoming environment where children love to learn and feel safe. The school has a highly ambitious curriculum delivered consistently well by trained staff, with particular strength in teaching reading and phonics. Every pupil - including those with additional needs - receives excellent support to achieve their very best while developing into confident, respectful citizens.
Key Strengths
- Well-planned, ambitious curriculum with strong focus on reading and phonics from Nursery onwards
- Excellent behaviour management with consistent expectations and calm learning environment
- Strong support for pupils with SEND, ensuring they access the same curriculum as their peers
- High-quality personal development opportunities that help pupils become rounded, active citizens
- Staff are well-trained and use consistent resources and vocabulary to support learning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Sporting competitions, choir, eco-committee, community service, breakfast club, after-school club
Darlinghurst Academy is a primary school where pupils enjoy coming to school and behave very well. Evidence suggests the school's work has improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection in 2019.
At a Glance
23.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
79 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 94% to 73% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 87% to 74% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 89% to 82% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.7
Avg class size
29.8
Infant (KS1)
29.8
KS2
17
Total classes
6 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Darlinghurst Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Darlinghurst Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Darlinghurst Academy is in Southend-on-Sea; for families living there:
Apply to Southend-on-Sea for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 21
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 21 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 18 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
8 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Southend-on-Sea is 29 (the median across 61 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Darlinghurst Academy
Will you get a place at Darlinghurst Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Darlinghurst Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Darlinghurst Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Darlinghurst Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Southend-on-Sea, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Darlinghurst Academy for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Southend-on-Sea got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
60%
Available places
504 pupils
840 places
336 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Leigh-on-Sea
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Leigh-on-Sea
Across Southend-on-Sea council
Places available
1,925
Applications
1,741
Got 1st preference
87.8%
Got preferred school
97.8%
All primary applications across Southend-on-Sea council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(4)
Ungraded inspection: The school has improved significantly.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
60
SEN Support
26
EHC Plans
15.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
547
Total Pupils
281
Boys
266
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
28
Teachers
19.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£43,664
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,193
Per pupil
£2881k
Total funding
£180k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.6%
Overall absence
13.7%
Persistent absence
497
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Questions parents ask about Darlinghurst Academy
What are SATs results like at Darlinghurst Academy?
Of the pupils at Darlinghurst Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 73% reached the expected standard in reading and 74% did so in maths.
What is Darlinghurst Academy's Ofsted rating?
Darlinghurst Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Darlinghurst Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Darlinghurst Academy is oversubscribed, Southend-on-Sea allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Darlinghurst Academy?
Darlinghurst Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 60% of its 840 places.
How big are the classes at Darlinghurst Academy?
Classes at Darlinghurst Academy average 28.7 pupils (2025/26). 6 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Darlinghurst Academy?
Darlinghurst Academy has around 547 pupils on roll. 24% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Darlinghurst Academy?
4.6% of sessions were missed at Darlinghurst Academy in 2024/25. 13.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Darlinghurst Academy?
Apply through Southend-on-Sea's coordinated admissions process, naming Darlinghurst Academy on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Darlinghurst Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 21 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 18 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 8 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Southend-on-Sea is 29 (the median across 61 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Darlinghurst Academy?
Darlinghurst Academy is at Pavilion Drive, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 3JS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)