Skerne Park Academy

Skerne Park Academy is deemed to require improvement overall, primarily due to inconsistencies in the quality of education provided to pupils, particularly in key stages 1 and 2. Although the school demonstrates strengths in early years provision and personal development, with pupils actively engaging in various responsibilities and making good progress in their social skills, there remains a need for significant improvement in teaching practices and curriculum delivery. Despite the positive atmosphere and commendable behavior among pupils, their academic progress does not reflect their potential, indicating gaps that need addressing. The leadership team is relatively new and has shown commitment to fostering better pupil behavior and attendance, leading to some notable advancements. Nonetheless, key challenges persist, such as the need for more robust assessment practices to ensure that gaps in knowledge are identified and addressed. Furthermore, while the school has recently joined the Advance Learning Partnership, which has injected some support, it has yet to fully realize its goals in enhancing the educational outcomes in the core academic areas for all students, including those with special educational needs.

Strengths

• Pupils are proud to attend the school and feel safe.
• Strong commitment from staff to support pupils and their families.
• Early years provision is a strength, fostering good personal and social development.
• Pupils successfully engage in personal development opportunities.
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs.
• Significant improvements in pupil attendance.
• Positive behavior management leading to orderly lessons.

Areas for Improvement

• The quality of education in key stages 1 and 2 requires improvement.
• Inconsistent implementation of the curriculum affects pupils' progress.
• Teachers do not systematically check pupils' knowledge and understanding.
• Some pupils lack a secure understanding of fundamental British values.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Skerne Park Academy attended 91.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 27.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 9.0% of pupils at Skerne Park Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). 4 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Skerne Park Academy had 20.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 34.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 25.0% of pupils at Skerne Park Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Skerne Park Academy received £8,808 and spent £9,708 for each of its 263 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £249,000 (-£947 per pupil).

Across all 22 schools of Advance Learning Partnership, income was £8,477 and spending £8,506 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Darlington · Darlington local authority: places and applications

Skerne Park Academy is part of Advance Learning Partnership, which runs 23 schools. The nearest others:

• Hummersknott Academy Darlington
• Greenfield Academy Newton Aycliffe
• Woodhouse Primary Academy Bishop Auckland
• Copeland Road Primary School Bishop Auckland
• Bishop Barrington Academy Bishop Auckland
• Staindrop Academy Darlington
• Middlestone Moor Academy Durham
• Whitworth Park Academy Spennymoor
• Hunwick Primary School Crook
• Witton-le-Wear Primary School Bishop Auckland

What is Skerne Park Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Skerne Park Academy is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in September 2025.

When was Skerne Park Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Skerne Park Academy was last inspected in September 2025.

How many pupils does Skerne Park Academy have?

Skerne Park Academy has 248 pupils on roll.

What age range does Skerne Park Academy cover?

Skerne Park Academy for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Skerne Park Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 35% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Skerne Park Academy?

Skerne Park Academy is at Coleridge Gardens, Darlington, County Durham, DL1 5AJ.