Darton Primary School

About Darton Primary School

Darton Primary School holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained since its last graded inspection in 2016 and confirmed in a subsequent ungraded visit in 2022. The school’s most informative exam metric is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined at Key Stage 2, which sits at 41%. This figure is notably below the Barnsley local authority average of 63%, placing the school 68th out of 70 primary schools in the area. In the broader Yorkshire and the Humber region, it ranks in the bottom 50% of schools nationally. The school’s overall ranking score of 41 reflects this challenge, though it’s worth noting that individual subject results tell a more mixed story, with reading being a relative strength.

Looking closer at the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 68% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, and the average reading score was 102. Maths was weaker, with 53% reaching the expected standard and an average score of 99. Only 12% of pupils achieved the higher standard in maths, and just 6% did so in both reading and writing. The school’s Progress 8 scores are not available, so it’s difficult to measure how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points. Ofsted’s breakdown from the 2016 inspection rated leadership and management and early years provision as Good, and the 2022 ungraded visit confirmed the school remains Good overall. The previous inspection in 2013 had rated the school as Requires Improvement, so the trajectory has been positive, even if current academic outcomes lag behind local peers.

Darton Primary is a state-funded, mixed primary school for children aged 3 to 11, with a nursery on site. It is oversubscribed: for 2025/26, there were 91 applications for 39 places, with 33 first-preference offers made. The school has a capacity of 270 but currently houses 288 pupils, suggesting it is popular despite the academic results. Facilities include a sports hall, playing fields, an ICT suite, and a library, with clubs in drama, choir and chess, and sports such as netball, tennis and cricket. The school supports a wide range of SEND needs, including dyslexia, speech and language difficulties, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 18% of pupils eligible for free school meals, it serves a relatively disadvantaged community. This school may suit families who value its inclusive ethos and broad extracurricular offer, but those prioritising strong academic outcomes at KS2 may want to look at higher-performing local options like Gawber Primary School, three kilometres away.

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