Springfield Academy, Darlington

Ofsted's report card from its 28 April 2026 inspection grades Springfield Academy on 7 areas: 1 strong standard and 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Inclusion is at the heart of leaders' decision-making."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils' positive achievements reflect leaders' determination that all pupils will secure important foundational knowledge."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders know pupils and their families well and work tirelessly to understand and address the underlying reasons for pupils' absences."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders' well-considered improvements to the curriculum, including in reading and mathematics, enable most pupils to secure the strong foundations they need for their future learning."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders have established an ambitious vision for early years."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders' determined vision and well-organised improvements have created a school that includes all its pupils."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have established a well-considered programme of personal development, which is responsive to the local context and the needs of pupils."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should build on the school's effective teaching so that the tasks and activities selected by staff enable pupils to deepen their knowledge and understanding and achieve the high standards of work of which they are capable"; "Leaders should sharpen the monitoring of the impact of curriculum and teaching in some foundation subjects so that they can more precisely plan the actions needed to ensure highly effective teaching across all subjects".

In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils at Springfield Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 79% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 76% in Darlington and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 64% in reading and 61% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 40 families put Springfield Academy as their first choice and 83 named it as one of their preferences, for 31 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 9 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state primary schools to Springfield Academy are Whinfield Primary School (0.4 miles, 79% reading, 85% maths); St Bede's Catholic Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 67% reading, 81% maths); Red Hall Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 38% reading, 38% maths); and Gurney Pease Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 80% reading, 77% maths).

Springfield Academy's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Springfield Academy is one of 7 schools run by The Education Village Academy Trust, an academy trust.

39.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 3.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is North Road Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Springwell Terrace (o), 130 metres away.

In 2024/25, Springfield Academy issued 6 suspensions, 2.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Springfield Academy are Haughton Academy (under 0.1 miles), St Aidan's Church of England Academy (1 mile) and Longfield Academy (1.2 miles).