Description

St Aidan's Church of England Academy is a coeducational secondary school in Darlington, County Durham, with academy status and a close affiliation to the Church of England. The institution, previously known as Eastbourne Comprehensive School, converted to academy status and transformed into Eastbourne Church of England Academy before its most recent name change to St Aidan's Church of England Academy.

The new academy building was constructed on the site at Hundens Lane, north of the original school site. As of 2023, there are approximately 550 pupils enrolled in the institution, between ages 11 and 16. Trustees include Chair Merion Baker, as well as Co-Chair Ruth Lowbridge and Anita Blackburn.

St Aidan's Church of England Academy achieved a Good rating in all areas during its last Ofsted inspection in January 2020, with the report highlighting its warm, caring atmosphere and proud pupils. The school has had a notable alumni presence, including the trade unionist and Labour Party politician Tom Sawyer, comedian Vic Reeves, and cricketer Andrew Fothergill. Additionally, the school has former pupil Alex Pattison, of the footballing world.

The Academy's leadership saw principal Catherine McCoy and assistant principal Stephanie Francom stand down in 2015. Nicole Gibbon became principal and oversaw the Academy's improvement, achieving an Ofsted "Good" rating. Gibbon stepped down in December 2021, with Anthony Martin joining as Acting Principal, and Dean Lythgoe was appointed Headteacher in July 2022. This marks the first time since the Academy's conversion from "Eastbourne" that the term Principal has been used rather than Headteacher.

Another highlight of the academy is its participation and success in local and regional competitions, including Darlington Football Cup victories, Durham Schools' Rugby Final runner-up titles, and Darlington Schools' Cricket Final runner-up honors. The school also boasts third-place finishes in the Mountain Biking Regional Finals and Robotics North East Championships.