Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #26 in Darlington public Top 95% UK

Skerne Park Academy

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMs Clair Gooding

corporate_fareADVANCE LEARNING PARTNERSHIP

location_onDarlington, DL1 5AJ

language Visit Website phone 1325380831

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2024

groups

Students

313

school

Expected Standard

35%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

1.0x

summarize

Skerne Park Academy is a Academy sponsor led primary school in Darlington, serving ages 2-11. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards. Ranks in the top 95% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

Skerne Park Academy is an academy sponsor led in Darlington, admitting pupils aged 2-11. It is part of ADVANCE LEARNING PARTNERSHIP. The school has approximately 266 pupils on roll, of whom 61% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 35% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 5% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #26 of 27 primaries in Darlington and #13,146 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2024. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Requires improvement, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Requires improvement.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 1.0× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 20.5:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 2 permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 9.0 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

35%

LA 60%

Reading45% LA 70%

Writing55% LA 70%

Maths53% LA 71%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

15%

LA 56%England 61%

Reading38% LA 69% · Eng 74%

Writing19% LA 69% · Eng 72%

Maths38% LA 68% · Eng 73%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

44%

LA 55%England 60%

Reading56% LA 70% · Eng 73%

Writing60% LA 68% · Eng 71%

Maths56% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Read SS

101

Maths SS

GPS SS

100

Progress (0 = national avg)

-4.0

Read

LA -0.4

-5.9 to -2.1

-1.8

Write

LA 0.1

-3.6 to 0.0

-3.9

Maths

LA -0.6

-5.6 to -2.1

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

60%

LA 65%England 65%

Reading69% LA 73% · Eng 73%

Writing76% LA 78% · Eng 78%

Maths81% LA 80% · Eng 79%

Read SS

102

Maths SS

103

GPS SS

104

Progress (0 = national avg)

-0.5

Read

LA 0.5

-2.4 to 1.4

1.0

Write

LA 1.0

-0.7 to 2.8

0.3

Maths

LA 0.9

-1.3 to 2.0

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

57%

LA 64%

Reading65% LA 77%

Writing68% LA 80%

Maths70% LA 75%

Read SS

102

Maths SS

101

GPS SS

101

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

LA 0.7

-0.9 to 2.9

1.9

Write

LA 0.7

0.1 to 3.7

0.9

Maths

LA 1.0

-0.9 to 2.7

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

12 June 2025

Inspection Report

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18 June 2024

Inspection Report

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25 May 2023

Inspection Report

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15 February 2022

Inspection Report

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01 May 2018

Inspection Report

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01 October 2014

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

4 Evaluations

2024-06-18

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 2 EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2022-02-15

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Requires improvement

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2018-05-01

S5 Inspection Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

2014-10-01

None Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

9.8%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

4.5%(12 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 266 pupils. During this period, there were 26 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 9.8%, which is above the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	266	26	9.8%	0.8%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	268	22	8.2%	0.9%	2
2023/24 (Summer term)	297	22	7.4%	0.8%	1
2023/24 (Spring term)	302	20	6.6%	0.7%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	303	7	2.3%	0.8%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	320	7	2.2%	0.7%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	313	9	2.9%	0.6%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	307	11	3.6%	0.6%	1
2021/22 (Summer term)	326	20	6.1%	0.5%	1
2021/22 (Spring term)	325	46	14.2%	0.5%	1
2021/22 (Autumn term)	320	21	6.6%	0.5%	1
2020/21 (Summer term)	342	12	3.5%	0.4%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	342	3	0.9%	0.1%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	338	20	5.9%	0.4%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	355	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	355	17	4.8%	0.4%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	361	25	6.9%	0.6%	2
2018/19 (Summer term)	378	14	3.7%	0.4%	0
2018/19 (Spring term)	396	10	2.5%	0.5%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	387	13	3.4%	0.5%	1
2017/18 (Summer term)	388	7	1.8%	0.5%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	401	7	1.7%	0.4%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	381	6	1.6%	0.5%	2
2016/17 (Summer term)	402	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2016/17 (Spring term)	391	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	374	1	0.3%	0.5%	1

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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psychology_alt

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 32 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 28 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 14 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 3 pupils

Physical Disability 2 pupils

Hearing Impairment 1 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

80.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

80.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

30.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree12%

agree58%

disagree15%

strongly disagree15%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree54%

agree38%

strongly disagree8%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree27%

agree23%

disagree19%

strongly disagree8%

don't know4%

not applicable19%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

yes42%

no58%

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree64%

agree18%

strongly disagree18%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree27%

agree46%

disagree12%

strongly disagree4%

don't know12%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree38%

agree46%

disagree4%

strongly disagree8%

don't know4%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree42%

agree46%

disagree8%

strongly disagree4%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree46%

agree35%

disagree4%

don't know15%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree19%

agree62%

disagree15%

don't know4%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree35%

agree38%

disagree4%

strongly disagree8%

don't know15%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes77%

no23%

Top Primary Schools in Darlington

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

View all arrow_forward

St Teresa's Catholic Primary School

Good

location_on Darlington, DL1 4NL

emoji_events #1 in LA

Springfield Academy

Good

location_on Darlington, DL1 2AN

emoji_events #2 in LA

Gurney Pease Academy

Good

location_on Darlington, DL1 2NG

emoji_events #3 in LA

Mowden Junior School

Good

location_on Darlington, DL3 9DE

emoji_events #4 in LA

Mount Pleasant Primary School

Good

location_on Darlington, DL3 9HE

emoji_events #5 in LA

St John's Church of England Academy

Outstanding

location_on Darlington, DL1 4UB

emoji_events #6 in LA

View all schools in Darlington arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Darlington

St Teresa's Catholic Primary School

Springfield Academy

Gurney Pease Academy

Mowden Junior School

Mount Pleasant Primary School

St John's Church of England Academy