The Rydal Academy
Primary · Academy sponsor led · Ages 2–11 · Darlington
Last distance offered · Reception 2026
Every applicant was offered a place
From Darlington Borough Council · offers on 16 April 2026
2023–2025 trend 🔒
Nearby schools' earlier years 🔒
The Rydal Academy is a primary school in Darlington for ages 2–11 (academy sponsor led). Its latest Ofsted outcome is Good, from the inspection on 6 December 2022. Darlington has published a last distance offered for this school for Reception 2023 to 2026 entry.
The Rydal Academy catchment area: last distance offered
Parents often call this the catchment area: it's how far from the school the last child offered a place lived. It changes every year.
| Entry | Last distance offered |
|---|---|
| Reception 2026 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Reception 2025 | 🔒 With a pass |
| Reception 2024 | 🔒 With a pass |
| Reception 2023 | 🔒 With a pass |
What the pass includes · How to read it: one past year, not a catchment
What the figures show
- For Reception 2026, every applicant was offered a place, as at 13 of the 25 other Darlington primary schools with a published Reception 2026 outcome.
- Reception 2026 drew 58 first-choice applications for 66 offers, and every first-choice family was offered a place.
- In 2024/25, 46% met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (England 62%), the 2nd lowest of 9 schools: this one and the 8 nearest primary schools in Darlington.
Worked out by Catchmently from the published figures on this page and those for other Darlington schools. Distances are as published; how they were measured differs between admission authorities.
Key facts
- Address
- Rydal Road, Darlington, DL1 4BH
- Type
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase
- Primary
- Ages
- 2–11
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Council
- Darlington
- Pupils on roll
- 584 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 47.9% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 18.5
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
Good Inspected 6 December 2022
Strengths
- “All staff aim to make Rydal Academy a haven for all who attend.”
- “There are high expectations for what pupils can achieve.”
- “Leaders do everything they can to protect, guide and support the pupils in their care.”
To improve
- “Occasionally, there is some variability in teachers’ implementation of the schemes of work.”
- “When this happens, pupils’ knowledge is less certain.”
- “Leaders know there is more to do to make sure that schemes of work are embedded fully.”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 31 January 2023 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| Key stage 2 · reading, writing and maths, expected standard (2024/25) | 46% | 62% |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Reception entry: 58 first-preference applications, 66 offers in total, 58 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Nearby primary schools
Straight-line distance, in Darlington.
- St John's Church of England Academy 0.3 mi Outstanding Last distance published
- St Teresa's Catholic Primary School 0.5 mi School remains Good Last distance published
- Skerne Park Academy 0.6 mi Requires improvement Last distance published
- Firthmoor Primary School 0.7 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Heathfield Primary School 0.8 mi Standards maintained Last distance published
- St Augustine's Catholic Primary School 1.0 mi Good Last distance published
- Corporation Road Community Primary School 1.2 mi Good Last distance published
- Gurney Pease Academy 1.2 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published