Darrington Church of England Primary School
Denby Crest, Darrington, Pontefract, WF8 3SBOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Darrington Church of England Primary School is a primary school in Pontefract for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 155 schools in Wakefield. It ranks 19th of 33 primary schools in Pontefract. Its latest Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, graded each key judgement and gave no overall Ofsted rating.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 22 October 2024, report published 27 November 2024
This inspection graded each key judgement and gave no overall effectiveness grade.
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 22 October 2024
This is a school where everyone shines in their own unique way. The core values of 'peace, respect and friendship' are at the heart of the school's work. Pupils are polite and considerate to each other and with adults. They nominate other pupils for the 'Recognition Board', where achievements are celebrated. The school is calm and orderly. Pupils are happy and safe here. Lessons are rarely disrupted. At social times, pupils cooperate and play well together. Some pupils lead games on the playground. Everyone has someone to talk to if they have a worry. Pupils say that adults help them to sort out friendship problems together. Pupils' spiritual and moral development is a strength. Children explore topical issues through 'picture news' and have the chance to discuss and debate current and world issues. Some pupils aspire to become 'Worship Wonderers' and lead worship in school. Pupils understand healthy relationships. They are beginning to understand equality and other important fundamental British values, such as democracy. Pupils feel that they have a voice through the school council. They write manifestos and take part in elections. They understand that everyone's opinion counts. New leaders at the school have brought about improvements to the quality of education. They are beginning to realise their ambitious plans. As a result, in subjects such as English and mathematics, pupils achieve well.
What the school should improve
- In some subjects, curriculum thinking is new. In these subjects, pupils have legacy gaps which are not routinely picked up or addressed. This means that pupils do not achieve as well as they could in those subjects. The school should ensure that staff know exactly what key knowledge pupils need to master. They should identify gaps in pupils' existing knowledge and address these and any misconceptions consistently.
- Some teachers are not confident in how to best to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. This means that these pupils do not access lessons as well as their peers. The school should ensure that all teachers understand how to meet the needs of pupils with SEND so that everyone makes strong progress across the curriculum.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
14 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
129 pupils on roll, with places for 105
Schools near Darrington Church of England Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Rookeries Carleton Junior and Infant School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 73% met the expected standard |
| De Lacy Primary School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Outstanding | 80% met the expected standard |
| Cherry Tree Academy | 1 mile | Ofsted: Requires improvement | 49% met the expected standard |
| Holy Family and St Michael's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 35% met the expected standard |
| Simpson's Lane Academy | 2 miles | Ofsted judgements: Outstanding | 84% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- DARRINGTON CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL
- Age range
- 3 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Headteacher Christopher Lunn
- Phone
- 01977232320
- Address
- Denby Crest, Darrington, Pontefract, WF8 3SB
- Local authority
- Wakefield
- URN
- 140110
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.