Staindrop Academy
69%
Capacity
469
Pupils
2.1x
Demand
About Staindrop Academy
Staindrop Academy's headline Progress 8 score of -0.16 places it slightly above the County Durham local authority average of -0.21 for secondary schools, a modest but meaningful outperformance. This positions the school in the middle of the pack locally, ranking 18th out of 31 schools in the authority, and nationally it sits in the 60th percentile. The school's Attainment 8 score of 47.8, combined with a 62.5% pass rate for basics at grade 4 and above, suggests that while students aren't making exceptional progress relative to their starting points, they are leaving with solid qualifications. The school's capacity of 675 currently houses 469 pupils, meaning there is significant room for growth, and it was oversubscribed for 2025/26 with 238 applications for 115 places, indicating strong local demand.
Academically, the picture is nuanced. The Progress 8 banding is rated as 'Average', but the breakdown reveals some variation. Progress in the open element (non-EBacc subjects) is positive at 0.12, while maths and English are slightly below average at -0.31 and -0.2 respectively. The EBacc entry rate is low at 23.2%, with only 12.5% achieving a grade 5 or above in the full suite. Ofsted's most recent inspection in 2021 rated the school 'Good' across all categories, a clear improvement from its previous 'Requires improvement' rating in 2017. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive, with 100% of respondents saying they would recommend the school, and strong majorities agreeing that their child is happy, feels safe, and that the school has high expectations.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a sports hall, tennis courts, playing fields, music rooms, and an ICT suite, alongside clubs like Debate, Model UN, and Orchestra. Sports provision is strong with nine options including hockey, rugby, and athletics. For SEND, the school supports eight identified needs including dyslexia, autism, and speech and language difficulties, though the Parent View data on SEND support had no responses. With no sixth form, students leave at 16. The school suits families in the rural County Durham area who want a well-regarded local secondary with improving outcomes, strong pastoral care as reflected in parent surveys, and a wide extracurricular offer, but who are comfortable with its relatively low EBacc take-up and the fact that it is not yet pushing progress significantly above the local average.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Cleatlam Lane, Darlington, County Durham, DL2 3JU |
| Headteacher | Sarah Mitchinson |
| Local Authority | County Durham |
| Number of Pupils | 469 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 29.6% |
| School Capacity | 469 / 675 (69% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
6 Oct 2021Overall Effectiveness
Good
Source: Ofsted, 17 Nov 2021. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.16)
1905th of 3,141
Nationally
64th of 142
In North East
18th of 31
In County Durham
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2311%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 90 pupils).
- FE college42%
- Sixth form college29%
- School sixth form (stay)11%
- Employment7%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained4%
94% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Ofsted Parent View
16 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed115
238
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
117 families put this school as their 1st choice (49% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:00
Source: staindropacademy.com. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British95.5%
- Mixed0.6%
- White (other)0.6%
- Asian0.4%
- Black0.2%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Staindrop Academy
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Cleatlam Lane, Darlington
County Durham, DL2 3JU
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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