Ofsted: Serious Weaknesses trending_up Places Available emoji_events #5 in Darlington public Top 31% UK

Longfield Academy

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

personMrs Angela Sweeten

corporate_fareSWIFT ACADEMIES

location_onDarlington, DL3 0HT

verified

Ofsted

Serious Weaknesses

Inspected 2024

groups

Students

819

trending_up

Attainment 8

42.8

leaderboard

GCSE Rank

#5 in Darlington

#2,119 of 3,216 nationally

summarize

Longfield Academy is a Academy sponsor led secondary school in Darlington, serving ages 11-16.

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School Summary

Longfield Academy is an academy sponsor led in Darlington, admitting pupils aged 11-16. It is part of SWIFT ACADEMIES. The school has approximately 721 pupils on roll, of whom 37% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 42.8, placing the school #5 in Darlington and #2,119 of 3,216 nationally. 44.30% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 12.0% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

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

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

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 18.3:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 4 permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 14.8 per 1,000 pupils per term.

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

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

analytics

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

42.8

Grade 5+ E&M

44.30%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)12.0%

Entering EBacc24.20%

EBacc APS3.57

2024

Progress 8 Score

-0.47

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

43.6

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc15.10%

EBacc APS3.53

2023

Progress 8 Score

-0.09

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

46.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc17%

EBacc APS3.75

2022

Progress 8 Score

-0.11

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

48.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc21%

EBacc APS3.83

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc15%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

-0.11

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

45.1

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc42%

EBacc APS3.75

2018

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

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Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

94%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)84%

Apprenticeships6%

Employment4%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

94%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)81%

Apprenticeships7%

Employment6%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

95%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)79%

Apprenticeships12%

Employment4%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)4%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

95%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)92%

Apprenticeships1%

Employment2%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)4%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

95%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)82%

Apprenticeships5%

Employment7%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

15 October 2024

Inspection Report

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26 March 2024

Inspection Report

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21 September 2023

Inspection Report

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25 January 2023

Inspection Report

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05 April 2022

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

4 Evaluations

2024-10-15

Serious Weaknesses S5 Reinspection EIF

Not Judged

info

Why no overall grade?

From autumn 2024, Ofsted stopped issuing a single headline grade (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate). Instead, each inspection area is graded individually. This follows a major review after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. The overall effectiveness field is left as "Not judged" in the published data.

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2022-04-05

Academy First Section 5 EIF

Inadequate

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Inadequate

Development

Requires improvement

Leadership

Inadequate

2015-03-17

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2013-11-07

None EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

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

Suspension Rate

19.6%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

7.6%(55 pupils)

Spring term 2025

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

Permanent Exclusions

4pupils

gavel Exclusion recorded

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 721 pupils. During this period, there were 141 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 19.6%, which is above the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	721	141	19.6%	7.3%	4
2024/25 (Autumn term)	723	72	10.0%	7.8%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	802	123	15.3%	7.4%	7
2023/24 (Spring term)	793	100	12.6%	7.1%	2
2023/24 (Autumn term)	795	179	22.5%	8.2%	8
2022/23 (Summer term)	817	127	15.5%	6.6%	3
2022/23 (Spring term)	819	135	16.5%	6.4%	4
2022/23 (Autumn term)	821	111	13.5%	5.9%	1
2021/22 (Summer term)	860	177	20.6%	4.7%	6
2021/22 (Spring term)	876	269	30.7%	4.9%	6
2021/22 (Autumn term)	880	225	25.6%	4.4%	1
2020/21 (Summer term)	884	218	24.7%	3.6%	6
2020/21 (Spring term)	884	40	4.5%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	886	148	16.7%	3.9%	1
2019/20 (Summer term)	891	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	891	98	11.0%	3.2%	2
2019/20 (Autumn term)	896	132	14.7%	4.2%	3
2018/19 (Summer term)	895	93	10.4%	3.1%	1
2018/19 (Spring term)	904	189	20.9%	3.8%	4
2018/19 (Autumn term)	910	202	22.2%	3.8%	1
2017/18 (Summer term)	923	114	12.4%	3.4%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	0	39	-	3.0%	0

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.

Moderate Learning Difficulty 43 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 41 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 28 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 11 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 11 pupils

Hearing Impairment 2 pupils

Physical Disability 1 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 1 pupils

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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.

73.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

77.0%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 agree28%

agree46%

disagree12%

strongly disagree9%

don't know4%

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

strongly agree18%

agree39%

disagree28%

strongly disagree7%

don't know8%

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

strongly agree38%

agree20%

disagree16%

strongly disagree9%

don't know1%

not applicable15%

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

yes38%

no62%

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

strongly agree29%

agree32%

disagree18%

strongly disagree14%

dont know7%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree30%

agree43%

disagree12%

strongly disagree8%

don't know7%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree43%

agree34%

disagree14%

strongly disagree8%

don't know1%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree30%

agree50%

disagree16%

strongly disagree3%

don't know1%

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

strongly agree39%

agree51%

disagree8%

strongly disagree1%

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

strongly agree47%

agree43%

disagree1%

don't know8%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree36%

agree34%

disagree8%

strongly disagree7%

don't know15%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes72%

no28%

Top Secondary Schools in Darlington

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

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Carmel College

Outstanding

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Good

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Hurworth School

Good

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Polam Hall School

Good

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St Aidan's Church of England Academy

Good

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Haughton Academy

Good

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School Summary

Academic Performance

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Secondary 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 Secondary Schools in Darlington

Carmel College

Hummersknott Academy

Hurworth School

Polam Hall School

St Aidan's Church of England Academy

Haughton Academy