Darrington Church of England Primary School

About Darrington Church of England Primary School

Darrington Church of England Primary School is a state primary in the Wakefield local authority, serving 129 pupils aged 3 to 11. In the most recent local rankings, the school placed 32nd out of 97 primary schools in the borough, placing it in the top half of Wakefield’s state primaries. The top-performing peers in the area include Jerry Clay Academy, Horbury Bridge Church of England Junior and Infant Academy, and Larks Hill Junior and Infant School, each of which achieved a ranking score of 93. Darrington’s own ranking score of 71 reflects solid but not standout performance. The school is Church of England-affiliated and led by headteacher Christopher Lunn. It was rated Good by Ofsted in its most recent graded inspection in 2024, a rating it has held consistently across both its recent inspections. The nearest school rated Outstanding is De Lacy Primary School, located 2.2 kilometres away.

Academically, Darrington performs above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 71% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Wakefield average of 64%. Reading and maths both saw 86% of pupils reach the expected standard, while writing was slightly lower at 71%. At the higher standard, 36% achieved in reading, 21% in maths, and 7% in both writing and the combined measure. Average scaled scores were 107 in reading and 105 in maths. The school’s national ranking places it in the 28th percentile, and within Yorkshire and the Humber it sits in the 25th percentile. Ofsted’s 2024 inspection rated all areas — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — as Good, with no outstanding judgements.

The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 50 applications for 14 places, with 21 first-preference applications and 14 offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.57. Facilities include a gymnasium, library, sensory room, art studios, forest school, sports hall and chapel. Sports on offer include dance, cricket, tennis, cross country and gymnastics, while clubs range from coding and chess to eco club and film club. SEND support covers specific learning difficulties, speech, language and communication needs, social, emotional and mental health, and physical disability. Parent View responses from 42 families show 81% would recommend the school, though some concerns emerged: 19% disagreed that concerns are dealt with properly, and 17% disagreed that their child can take part in clubs and activities. This is a small, faith-based village primary that suits families seeking a close-knit setting with above-average outcomes and a clear Church of England character.

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