Abbey Junior School
Abbey Road, Darlington, DL3 8NNOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Abbey Junior School is a primary school in Darlington for ages 7 to 11. It is one of the 47 schools in Darlington. It ranks 10th of 29 primary schools in Darlington. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in December 2012.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 18 December 2012, report published 21 January 2013
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 20 June 2023
Pupils at Abbey Junior School are happy and polite. They care for one another. There is a strong sense of community among pupils and staff. Pupils enthusiastically take-up a wide range of leadership roles. For example, the 'eco warriors' have worked with staff to improve the school environment. They have led projects to improve air quality and raised awareness of food waste in packed lunches. Pupils value the opportunity to develop their teamwork and organisational skills. Pupil leaders play an active part in shaping school life and carry out their roles with diligence and pride. Pupils behave well during lessons. They know that leaders have high expectations of their behaviour and understand the consequence system for any poor behaviour. Classrooms are calm and purposeful. Pupils feel safe at school. Bullying rarely happens. Pupils trust staff to help with any worries or concerns that they have. Leaders are ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils enjoy learning a broad range of subjects. Staff enrich pupils' learning with visits to museums and historical sites and by listening to talks by visitors. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
What the school should improve
- In some areas of the curriculum, leaders have not identified the most important knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn. Teachers lack clarity on which knowledge should be prioritised. Where this is the case, leaders should ensure that they clearly identify essential content and develop strategies to check that this has been learned.
- In some areas of the curriculum, leaders do not have a clear picture of how well pupils are learning the planned curriculum. This means that gaps in pupils' knowledge go unnoticed. Leaders should work with subject leaders to develop a better picture of how well the intended curriculum is learned.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
88 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
362 pupils on roll, with places for 360
Schools near Abbey Junior School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey Infants' School | 0.2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| St Augustine's Catholic Primary School | 0.6 miles | Ofsted: Good | 71% met the expected standard |
| Mowden Infant School | 0.6 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Mowden Junior School | 0.7 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | 77% met the expected standard |
| Reid Street Primary School | 0.7 miles | Ofsted: Good | 57% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- MELROSE LEARNING TRUST
- Age range
- 7 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Mr Michael Piper-Nelson
- Phone
- 01325380748
- Address
- Abbey Road, Darlington, DL3 8NN
- Local authority
- Darlington
- URN
- 136989
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.