Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool, Darlington
Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Darlington, part of Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 10th-highest of the 29 schools in Darlington with published results, and 4,096th of 14,452 across England. It was 40% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to County Durham (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool in detail
Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool in its own words
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care.
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 92% of Year 6 pupils at Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool reached the expected standard in reading and 75% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in County Durham and 77% and 75% across England.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool
For September 2026 entry, 7 families put Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool as their first choice and 12 named it as one of their preferences, for 7 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool are Ingleton CofE Primary School (2.3 miles, 100% reading, 100% maths); Eppleby Forcett Church of England Primary School (2.3 miles, Good, 100% reading, 100% maths); Staindrop CofE (Controlled) Primary School (3.2 miles, Good, 100% reading, 100% maths); and High Coniscliffe CofE Primary School (3.5 miles, Good, 77% reading, 69% maths).
Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.
Ingleton CofE Primary SchoolEppleby Forcett Church of England Primary SchoolStaindrop CofE (Controlled) Primary SchoolHigh Coniscliffe CofE Primary School
The trust
Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool is one of 22 schools run by Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 68% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
All 22 schools in Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning Trust
Who goes there
0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (86%) and Mixed (10%).
Staffing
Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool had 5 teachers in 2026, one for every 9 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Spa Road (w-bound), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 11 crimes within a mile of the school, most often other theft, burglary and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in County Durham (84).
Suspensions and exclusions
Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in September 2024. Before that, as Gainford CofE Primary School and Preschool (URN 114222), it was rated Good in July 2015.
At a Glance
21.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2024/25 academic year
Class Sizes
12.5
Avg class size
12.5
KS2
2
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool is in County Durham; for families living there:
- County Durham's school travel policy: School transport policies and strategies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school travel
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in County Durham is 5 (the median across 280 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 Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool
Will you get a place at Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from County Durham, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool for 2025 and 2026 entry.
- How many families in County Durham 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
40%
Available places
45 pupils
112 places
67 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Darlington
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Darlington
Across County Durham council
Places available
6,581
Applications
4,409
Got 1st preference
97.3%
Got preferred school
99.4%
All primary applications across County Durham council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
7
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
21.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
42
Total Pupils
21
Boys
21
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
8.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,099
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£8,873
Per pupil
£431k
Total funding
£12k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
2.9%
Overall absence
9.3%
Persistent absence
43
Enrolments
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool
What are SATs results like at Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool?
Of the pupils at Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 92% reached the expected standard in reading and 75% did so in maths.
What is Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool's Ofsted rating?
Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in September 2024. Before that, as Gainford CofE Primary School and Preschool (URN 114222), it was rated Good in July 2015.
What is the catchment area for Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool?
No fixed boundary. When Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool is oversubscribed, County Durham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool?
Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool was not full in 2025: it ran at 40% of its 112 places.
How big are the classes at Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool?
Classes at Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool average 12.5 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool?
Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool has around 42 pupils on roll. 21% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool?
2.9% of sessions were missed at Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool in 2024/25. 9.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool?
Apply through County Durham's coordinated admissions process, naming Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool 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 Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in County Durham is 5 (the median across 280 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool?
Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool is at Low Road, Gainford, Darlington, County Durham, DL2 3DR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)