Skerne Park Academy, Darlington
Skerne Park Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Darlington, part of Advance Learning Partnership. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 28th-highest of the 29 schools in Darlington with published results, and 14,023rd of 14,452 across England. It was 61% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2024)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Darlington (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Skerne Park Academy in detail
Results
In 2025, 45% of Year 6 pupils at Skerne Park Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 53% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 76% in Darlington and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 38% in reading and 38% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Skerne Park Academy
For September 2026 entry, 15 families put Skerne Park Academy as their first choice and 30 named it as one of their preferences, for 17 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Skerne Park Academy are The Rydal Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 62% reading, 60% maths); St Augustine's Catholic Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 90% reading, 74% maths); St John's Church of England Academy (0.8 miles, Outstanding, 77% reading, 77% maths); and St Teresa's Catholic Primary School (1.1 miles, Good, 88% reading, 97% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Skerne Park Academy.
The Rydal AcademySt Augustine's Catholic Primary SchoolSt John's Church of England AcademySt Teresa's Catholic Primary School
The trust
Skerne Park Academy is one of 23 schools run by Advance Learning Partnership, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 57% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
55.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 62 pupils (25%) received SEN support and 7 (2.8%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Darlington Rail Station, about 940 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Coleridge Centre (o), 20 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Skerne Park Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Skerne Park Academy issued 64 suspensions, 24.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Skerne Park Academy are Polam Hall School (0.6 miles), St Aidan's Church of England Academy (1.2 miles), Carmel College (1.6 miles) and Hummersknott Academy (1.8 miles).
Polam Hall SchoolSt Aidan's Church of England AcademyCarmel CollegeHummersknott Academy
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; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Skerne Park Academy has worked hard to redesign its curriculum with a clear focus on building knowledge step-by-step from Reception to Year 6. The school has brought in specialist leaders for different year groups and subjects to drive improvement, and is providing teachers with better guidance to help pupils learn. The school is also strengthening pupils' understanding of British values through both lessons and wider school activities.
Key Strengths
- Curriculum has been carefully redesigned and structured to build knowledge and skills progressively from early years to Year 6
- Teachers are receiving increased guidance and support to deliver the curriculum effectively
- Teachers are beginning to check pupil understanding across a wider range of subjects
- New phase-specific leaders and subject leaders have brought focus and energy to school improvement
- Greater focus on British values in the curriculum and school life
Areas for Improvement
- Year 6 attainment in reading, writing and mathematics remains significantly below the national average
- Knowledge gaps persist, particularly in pupils' early language and social skills
- Improvements in curriculum delivery are not yet fully embedded across the school
- Quality assurance processes need to be more consistently focused to better track impact of improvements
- Some aspects of quality assurance could be stronger
Skerne Park Academy is a school that has made progress since its last inspection under new leadership, with curriculum redesign and additional support structures put in place. However, the school still needs further improvement in embedding these changes and closing knowledge gaps that persist from the COVID-19 pandemic.
At a Glance
55.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 38% to 45% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 38% to 53% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 19% to 55% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
25.9
Avg class size
23.8
Infant (KS1)
28.0
KS2
8
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Skerne Park Academy
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Skerne Park Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Skerne Park Academy is in Darlington; for families living there:
- Darlington's school travel policy: Home to school travel and transport policy
- How to apply: Apply for school transport
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 8 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on a bicycle.
2 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 Darlington is 9 (the median across 48 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 Skerne Park Academy
Will you get a place at Skerne Park Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Skerne Park Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Skerne Park Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Skerne Park Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Darlington, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Skerne Park Academy for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Darlington 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
61%
Available places
257 pupils
420 places
163 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 Darlington council
Places available
1,260
Applications
1,075
Got 1st preference
92.7%
Got preferred school
98.8%
All primary applications across Darlington council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
62
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
27.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
248
Total Pupils
121
Boys
127
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
15
Teachers
16.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,398
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,207
Per pupil
£1916k
Total funding
£214k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.5%
Overall absence
27.1%
Persistent absence
240
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 Skerne Park Academy
What are SATs results like at Skerne Park Academy?
Of the pupils at Skerne Park Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 45% reached the expected standard in reading and 53% did so in maths.
What is Skerne Park Academy's Ofsted rating?
Skerne Park Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2024, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Skerne Park Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Skerne Park Academy is oversubscribed, Darlington allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Skerne Park Academy?
Skerne Park Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 61% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Skerne Park Academy?
Classes at Skerne Park Academy average 25.9 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Skerne Park Academy?
Skerne Park Academy has around 248 pupils on roll. 56% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Skerne Park Academy?
8.5% of sessions were missed at Skerne Park Academy in 2024/25. 27.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Skerne Park Academy?
Apply through Darlington's coordinated admissions process, naming Skerne Park 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 Skerne Park Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 8 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on a bicycle. 2 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 Darlington is 9 (the median across 48 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Skerne Park Academy?
Skerne Park Academy is at Coleridge Gardens, Darlington, County Durham, DL1 5AJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)