St John's Church of England Academy

About St John's Church of England Academy

St John's Church of England Academy is a state primary in Darlington that is running well above its official capacity, with 248 pupils on roll against a capacity of 210. The school is heavily oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 85 applications for just 30 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.83 applicants per spot. Of the 34 families who listed it as their first preference, 27 received offers. The pupil body has a notably high proportion of children eligible for free school meals at 38.6%, which is significantly above the national primary average. This suggests the school serves a community with above-average economic deprivation, yet it remains a popular choice among local families. The school is mixed-gender, Church of England, and takes children from age 2 to 11, with nursery provision on site. Headteacher Marco Ramsay leads a school that clearly commands strong local demand despite its demographic challenges.

Academically, the school presents a mixed picture. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, it was rated Outstanding overall, with Outstanding grades for quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management. The early years provision was rated Good. At Key Stage 2 in 2023/24, 60% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is just above the Darlington local authority average of 59%. However, the school ranks 16th out of 26 primaries in the borough on this measure, placing it in the bottom half locally. Only 3% of pupils achieved the higher standard in all three subjects. Looking at individual subjects, 87% met the expected standard in writing, compared with 77% in maths and 67% in reading. Average scaled scores were 105 in maths and 102 in reading. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is hard to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils' starting points.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a sports hall, gymnasium, ICT suite, art studios, playing fields, a sensory room and a chapel. Sports on offer include rounders, gymnastics, tennis and netball, while clubs extend to gardening, science club and coding. The SEND provision is broad, covering moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. With the school already well over capacity and heavily oversubscribed, securing a place is competitive, particularly for first-preference applicants. This is a school that seems to suit families who value a strong Church of England ethos and a diverse intake, and who are comfortable with a large, busy school environment. The Outstanding Ofsted rating will appeal to those prioritising behaviour and leadership, though the KS2 results suggest it may not be the strongest choice locally for academic high-flyers.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About St John's Church of England Academy

Helpful Guides for Parents