The Rydal Academy
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The Rydal Academy is a sponsored academy in Darlington for boys and girls aged 2 to 11. It has 584 pupils and room for 630. About 52 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 12 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 26% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2022.
Rydal Road, Darlington, DL1 4BH01325 380784rydal.nalp.org.ukMr John Armitage headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 6 December 2022, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall.
Earlier inspections (1)
| Date | Type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 5 December 2019 | Ungraded | School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next |
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
82 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Darlington | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 82 | 82 | 87 | 82 | 59 | 80 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 46% | 33% | 38% | 43% | 54% | 39% | 64% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 4% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 7% | 6% | 8% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 103.0 | 101.0 | 104.0 | 99.0 | 102.0 | 99.0 | 104.9 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 101.0 | 99.0 | 102.0 | 104.0 | 103.0 | 102.0 | 104.5 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 103.0 | 101.0 | 101.0 | 102.0 | 103.0 | 102.0 | 105.0 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 62% | 54% | 70% | 54% | 63% | 53% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 60% | 41% | 57% | 73% | 66% | 75% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 54% | 44% | 47% | 55% | 61% | 49% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +0.5 | -2.4 | +0.3 | -1.9 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | -0.3 | +1.3 | +1.6 | +1.2 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 48% | 30% | 29% | 38% | 55% | 30% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 45% | 38% | 51% | 50% | 54% | 50% | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
Does every child do well here?
A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 3 of the 4 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.
At the end of primary school, 2025
Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.
Getting a place
Open to all. There is no entrance test.
About 91 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.
Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Darlington council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 25.3 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 25.4 (England 27.3).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Moderate learning difficulty (48), language and communications needs (45), emotional and mental health (32), Specific learning difficulty (9), Autistic spectrum disorder (6), Physical disability (3).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 584 | 621 | 617 | 619 | 615 | 599 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 48% | 45% | 44% | 49% | 45% | 49% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 12% | 12% | 11% | 11% | 11% | 10% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 20% | 21% | 24% | 16% | 19% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 3% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 92.3% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 7.8% | 8.9% | 8.1% | 8.0% | 6.6% | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 5.3% | 6.5% | 6.2% | 5.9% | 4.8% | 3.2% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 2.4% | 2.3% | 1.9% | 2.1% | 1.7% | 2.1% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 25.5% | 30.0% | 25.2% | 28.4% | 22.4% | 15.7% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 3.4 | 11.8 | 8.6 | 4.7 | 2.3 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | – | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St John's Church of England Academy | Academy | 490 m | 249 | Outstanding 2022 | 77 | Compare |
| St Teresa's Catholic Primary School | Academy | 860 m | 342 | Good 2024 | 61 | Compare |
| Skerne Park Academy | Academy | 0.6 miles | 248 | Requires improvement 2024 | 1 | Compare |
| Firthmoor Primary School | Academy | 0.7 miles | 279 | Report card 2026 | 47 | Compare |
| Heathfield Primary School | Academy | 0.8 miles | 439 | Good 2019 | 31 | Compare |
| Polam Hall School | Free school | 0.9 miles | 842 | Report card 2025 | 37 | Compare |
| St Augustine's Catholic Primary School | Academy | 1.0 miles | 224 | Good 2024 | 77 | Compare |
| Corporation Road Community Primary School | Academy | 1.2 miles | 282 | Good 2023 | 63 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares The Rydal Academy with the 46 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 46 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher
Of those 46 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than The Rydal Academy, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrow Gate Academy | Academy | 9.1 miles | 432 | Good 2024 | 26 | Compare |
| Rosebrook Primary School | Academy | 9.2 miles | 407 | No overall grade 2025 | 33 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 12 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 12% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 7 to 19. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 25% | well below | -0.28 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 82 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 18% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old) | in line | +0.01 | Ofsted grade, 3.8 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | below | -0.08 | DfE progress measure; 82 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | in line | 0.00 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | well below | -0.18 | 2024/25; 494 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | below | -0.11 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 82 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is The Rydal Academy a good school?
The figures are weak. The Rydal Academy scores 12 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 26% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 7 to 19, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is The Rydal Academy's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated The Rydal Academy good at its last full inspection on 6 December 2022.
How good are The Rydal Academy's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 46% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 4% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does The Rydal Academy have?
584 pupils aged 2 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 630 places, so it is 93% full.
Is The Rydal Academy oversubscribed?
Probably not. 91 places were empty in 2024/25 (14% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at The Rydal Academy?
Pupils were in school 92.3% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 26% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at The Rydal Academy?
The average class had 25.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.
Does The Rydal Academy have a breakfast club?
Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Rydal Road, Darlington, DL1 4BH
- Telephone
- 01325 380784
- Website
- rydal.nalp.org.uk
- Headteacher
- Mr John Armitage
- Free breakfast club
- Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
- Type of school
- Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 2-11, with nursery
- Gender
- Mixed
- Multi-academy trust
- Northern Arch Learning Partnership (6 schools)
- Local authority
- Darlington
- Ward
- Bank Top & Lascelles
- Constituency
- Darlington
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 December 2012 (new provision)
- URN
- 138989 · LAESTAB 8412005 · UKPRN 10039567
- Formerly
- Dodmire School
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Breakfast club: DfE list of schools on the free breakfast club programme.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.