Ofsted school ratings in Darlington
In Darlington (North East), 20 of 22 graded state-funded schools are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — a Good-or-Outstanding rate of 90.9%. That is 3.7 percentage points above the England-wide rate of 87.2%, based on Ofsted’s management information as at 31 May 2026.
- Good or Outstanding
- 90.9%
- England 87.2%
- Outstanding
- 1
- Good
- 19
- Requires improvement
- 2
- Inadequate
- 0
- Graded schools
- 22
- rank 56/145
Ofsted overall-effectiveness grades in Darlington (31 May 2026)
| Grade | Schools in Darlington | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding | 1 | 4.5% |
| Good | 19 | 86.4% |
| Requires improvement | 2 | 9.1% |
| Inadequate | 0 | 0.0% |
The Good-or-Outstanding rate is derived from these real counts as (Outstanding + Good) ÷ all graded schools. Schools last inspected on or after 1 September 2024 carry no overall-effectiveness grade and are excluded, per Ofsted’s published methodology.
By school phase in Darlington
| Phase | Outstanding | Good | RI | Inadequate | Good+Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | 1 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 85.7% |
| Secondary | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Special | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
More about Darlington
Areas with a similar Good-or-Outstanding rate
- Leeds91.5%
- West Berkshire91.3%
- Newcastle upon Tyne91.2%
- Kensington and Chelsea90.9%
- Portsmouth90.9%
- Torbay90.9%
Frequently asked questions
- How many schools in Darlington are rated Good or Outstanding?
- 20 of 22 graded state-funded schools in Darlington hold an Ofsted overall-effectiveness grade of Good or Outstanding — a Good-or-Outstanding rate of 90.9%. That figure is derived from Ofsted's real inspection counts as at 31 May 2026. Across England the rate is 87.2%.
- How many Outstanding schools does Darlington have?
- Darlington has 1 school rated Outstanding and 19 rated Good, out of 22 graded state-funded schools, according to Ofsted management information as at 31 May 2026.
- Are there any Inadequate schools in Darlington?
- No state-funded school in Darlington currently holds an Inadequate overall-effectiveness grade in Ofsted's 31 May 2026 management information. 2 schools are rated Requires improvement.
- What is the Good-or-Outstanding rate for primary and secondary schools in Darlington?
- By phase in Darlington: 85.7% of 14 primary schools; 100.0% of 6 secondary schools; 100.0% of 1 special schools are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted (as at 31 May 2026).
- How does Darlington compare with the rest of England for school ratings?
- Darlington ranks 56 of 145 English local authorities (those with at least 20 graded schools) by Ofsted Good-or-Outstanding rate, at 90.9% versus the England-wide 87.2% (as at 31 May 2026).
Reference period: latest inspections as at 31 May 2026 (Ofsted management information, published 2026-06-18). Source: Ofsted — State-funded school inspections and outcomes: management information. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Ofsted. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.