Darton Academy

Darton Academy is performing well overall, achieving a 'Good' rating in key areas such as the quality of education, behaviour, and leadership. Notably, the school excels in personal development, receiving an 'Outstanding' mark for its efforts to promote pupils' growth. The school, which has not been previously inspected under section 5, benefits from effective government funding that enhances extra-curricular opportunities for its students, including the increasing participation in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. However, concerns include a minority of bullying incidents that go unreported and a need for improved communication with parents and stakeholders.

Strengths

• High-quality curriculum that is well-sequenced and inclusive for all pupils.
• Effective use of government funding to enhance extra-curricular opportunities.
• Strong focus on personal development integrated into all aspects of school life.
• Consistent teaching practices that help pupils know what to expect.
• Excellent provision for careers advice and guidance.

Areas for Improvement

• Some bullying incidents are unreported or not resolved promptly.
• A minority of parents feel their concerns are not adequately addressed.

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 Darton Academy attended 92.7% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 21.4% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

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, 12.2% of pupils at Darton Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 10 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 Darton Academy had 21.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 16.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

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, 9.9% of pupils at Darton Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Darton Academy received £7,982 and spent £7,606 for each of its 1,114 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £940,000 (£844 per pupil).

Across all 62 schools of Delta Academies Trust, income was £7,459 and spending £7,562 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 Barnsley · Barnsley local authority: places and applications

Darton Academy is part of Delta Academies Trust, which runs 62 schools. The nearest others:

• Manor Croft Academy Dewsbury
• Eastborough Academy Dewsbury
• Heckmondwike Primary Academy Heckmondwike
• Goldthorpe Primary Academy Rotherham
• The Laurel Academy Mexborough
• Montagu Academy Mexborough
• Park View Primary Academy Leeds
• Willow Green Academy Knottingley
• Simpson's Lane Academy Knottingley
• Rowena Academy Doncaster

What is Darton Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Darton Academy is Good, from an inspection in March 2023.

When was Darton Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Darton Academy was last inspected in March 2023.

How many pupils does Darton Academy have?

Darton Academy has 1,099 pupils on roll.

What age range does Darton Academy cover?

Darton Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Darton Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 50.7, and 66% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Darton Academy?

Darton Academy is at Ballfield Lane, Darton, Barnsley, S75 5EF.