Springfield Academy, Darlington

Good
Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~397m)Possible (~567m)Unlikely (~737m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Paula Austin
Pupils:236 / 236 capacity
LA:Darlington
Phone:01325248153
Address:Salters Lane South, Darlington, DL1 2AN
Trust:THE EDUCATION VILLAGE ACADEMY TRUST
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 April 2012

Ofsted Rating

Good

Overall

URN:138088
UKPRN:10037041
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Darlington
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Springfield Academy excels at including all pupils and making sure vulnerable children and those with special educational needs thrive. Staff are highly knowledgeable about each child's needs and provide expert support tailored to help them progress. Families praise the school as a trusted partner that respects and knows their children well.

Key Strengths

  • Excellent support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, with swift access to external therapies and full inclusion in school life
  • Strong focus on early reading and phonics, with Year 1 phonics screening results above the national average
  • Calm, purposeful classrooms with clear routines where pupils behave well and bullying is rare
  • Well-trained staff with expertise in meeting diverse pupil needs
  • Strong leadership that puts pupils at the heart of every decision

Areas for Improvement

  • Higher attainment standards are more variable - the school is working to help more pupils achieve at the higher standard
  • Some tasks do not focus enough on developing pupils' deep knowledge and understanding, particularly in subjects like history
  • Knowledge of other faiths is less thoroughly developed in the personal development programme
  • Monitoring in a few subject areas is not as sharp as it could be

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - the school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are met and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Sports activities at playtime, eco-warriors programme, careers fair, visits to local colleges and universities, 200th anniversary Stockton-Darlington railway project

Springfield Academy is a school where inclusion is at the heart of all decision-making and leaders are determined that all pupils will secure important foundational knowledge. The school demonstrates strong practice in supporting vulnerable pupils and those with special educational needs.

At a Glance

42.2%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+15ppMaths+18ppWriting+18pp

Reading has improved from 64% to 79%. Maths has improved from 61% to 79%. Writing has improved from 61% to 79%.

Class Sizes

29.6

Avg class size

29.7

Infant (KS1)

30.0

KS2

8

Total classes

2 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Springwell Terrace (O)
130m · 2 min walk
Nightingale Avenue (O)
223m · 4 min walk
Bamburgh Place (I)
301m · 5 min walk
Alnwick Place (E bound)
371m · 6 min walk
St Andrew's Church (O)
396m · 6 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

100%

Over capacity

236 pupils

236 capacity

0 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Darlington

Low pressure
New homes approved:1,190
Projected new pupils:298

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Darlington

Admissions Demand - Darlington

Low demand0.84x oversubscription

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(110)

Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good

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.

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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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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.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.18537%

Overall absence

14.51613%

Persistent absence

186

Enrolments

Authorised4.10795%
Unauthorised1.07742%
Persistent (10%+)14.51613%
Severe (50%+)0%

Absence trend

4.39056%
18/19
3.86988%
20/21
8.34405%
21/22
7.4714%
22/23
6.46328%
23/24
5.18537%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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