Harrowgate Hill Primary School, Darlington
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Overall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
This is a caring, nurturing school where children feel safe and valued. Staff know pupils well and provide good support for those who need extra help, particularly in the early years where reading and phonics teaching is excellent. The school has a strong focus on helping all children belong and creating a respectful, inclusive community.
Key Strengths
- Safeguarding is effective with an open culture where concerns are actively identified and managed
- Reading is a clear area of success with pupils achieving better outcomes and enjoying books
- Early years provision is high-quality with ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum and strong phonics teaching
- Inclusive culture where individual needs are identified early and pupils with SEND receive well-matched support
- Personal development is strong with pupils learning about safety, respect, and having many enrichment opportunities
Areas for Improvement
- Overall pupil achievement has not been good enough, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND
- Teaching quality is too variable - some staff don't identify learning gaps quickly enough or help pupils retain knowledge
- Pupil attendance is below national averages and needs urgent improvement
- Writing and handwriting are not developing well enough, especially for older pupils
- Leadership hasn't yet secured sustained improvements or evaluated the impact of decisions with enough precision
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and managed, and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports clubs, drama, trips, residentials
Harrowgate Hill Primary School is a nurturing school where pupils are safe and well cared for, with warm relationships between staff and children. However, the school needs to improve achievement levels, teaching consistency, attendance rates, and the effectiveness of leadership in securing sustained improvements.
At a Glance
31.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 67%. Maths has improved from 56% to 66%. Writing has improved from 55% to 67%.
Class Sizes
25.6
Avg class size
23.6
Infant (KS1)
26.8
KS2
14
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
57%
Available places
407 pupils
708 capacity
301 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Darlington
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Darlington
Admissions Demand - Darlington
Places available
1,260
Applications
1,063
Got 1st preference
96.3%
Got preferred school
98.9%
Primary admissions across Darlington (2025/26)
Inspection History(13)
House Prices
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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.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.41687%
Overall absence
20.87629%
Persistent absence
388
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Harrowgate Hill Primary School
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