Mowden Infant School
About Mowden Infant School
Mowden Infant School is a state primary in Darlington, one of 29 schools of the same type in the local authority. It sits in a competitive local landscape where the top-ranked peers include St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, West Park Academy, and St Teresa's Catholic Primary School. The school is led by headteacher Lexi Wilkinson and caters to 176 pupils aged 5 to 7, operating very close to its capacity of 180. It is a mixed, non-religious school with no nursery provision. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, the school was judged to remain Good, a rating it has held consistently across its previous inspections. The school is notably oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 162 applications for 52 places, with 52 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.12. This level of demand suggests strong local reputation among Darlington families.
Key Details
The full report on this school
The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
18 Jan 2023Latest monitoring visit (18 Jan 2023): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 19 Jul 2012. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
8Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About Mowden Infant School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights