Darwin School, Potters Bar
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 6 months agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Darwin School excels at welcoming pupils who have struggled with school attendance and helping them settle quickly. Staff build strong relationships, teach reading and maths very well through individualised approaches, and create a calm, kind environment where pupils' behaviour improves significantly. The school prepares pupils well for their next steps with careers advice and life skills, even for those attending for a short time.
Key Strengths
- Excellent support for reading with individualised phonics and reading curricula tailored to each pupil's needs
- Strong teaching of English and mathematics foundations using small steps to build pupil confidence
- Highly effective behaviour support through expert de-escalation techniques and staff who know pupils' needs quickly
- Thoughtful personal development curriculum including life skills, community contribution, and preparation for adulthood
- Effective safeguarding arrangements with vigilant staff responding quickly to pupils' needs
Areas for Improvement
- Curriculum planning in some subjects lacks long-term ambition and clear end points, leaving pupils not challenged as well as they might be
- Weak oversight from the proprietor with ineffective school systems, including behaviour monitoring that creates extra work for staff
- Not meeting independent school standards: no shower facilities for pupils doing physical education and admissions register does not comply with regulations
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff highly vigilant in identifying and responding quickly to pupils' deeper needs.
Extracurricular Activities
Cooking, tending school grounds and planting trees and vegetables, religious festival celebrations
Darwin School is a special school for pupils who have experienced significant trauma and have special educational needs. The school provides warm, welcoming care with good teaching, but requires improvement due to weaknesses in leadership oversight and unmet independent school standards.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
0.0
Avg class size
0
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
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Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
25%
Available places
5 pupils
20 capacity
15 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Potters Bar
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Potters Bar
Admissions Demand - Shropshire
Places available
3,213
Applications
2,845
Got 1st preference
91.1%
Got preferred school
99.2%
Secondary admissions across Shropshire (2025/26)
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Darwin School
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