Hurworth School
Croft Road, Hurworth-on-Tees, Darlington, DL2 2JGOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Hurworth School is a secondary school in Darlington for ages 11 to 16. It is one of the 47 schools in Darlington. It ranks 3rd of 9 secondary schools in Darlington. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in September 2022.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 21 September 2022, report published 10 November 2022
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 21 September 2022
Pupils feel safe and happy at Hurworth School. In this school, staff know pupils well. Strong relationships between staff and pupils are evident across the school. Year 7 pupils explain that they have been helped to settle in quickly. Leaders make sure that pupils understand the importance of respect. They encourage pupils to make positive choices and think about the consequences of their actions. Staff are proud to work here. They describe the school as a tight-knit community. Pupils get clear messages about bullying. They understand it is not acceptable. Pupils who have been bullied say that teachers dealt with it quickly. They believe teachers take bullying seriously. The majority of pupils do not feel that bullying is a problem at this school. Leaders are passionate about providing an education that prepares all pupils well for life. They are ambitious for what they want pupils to learn. Leaders are re- introducing enrichment activities to broaden pupils' experiences. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) who attend the specially resourced provision are integrated well into mainstream lessons. Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND gain the knowledge they need to succeed.
What the school should improve
- The reading curriculum is still in its early stages. Provision for struggling readers is under development. Some pupils do not read widely and often. Leaders should ensure that plans to further develop their reading provision are securely embedded.
- Some staff have higher expectations of pupils' behaviour and participation than others. Leaders have recently introduced a new behaviour policy. Leaders should embed high expectations of the new behaviour policy so that pupils are more consistently actively engaged in their learning.
- Leaders have introduced a range of new policies and systems in school, including a new behaviour policy and provision for reading. Leaders have not had the opportunity to fully evaluate the impact of these changes. Leaders should ensure they have robust procedures in place to check the impact of their new initiatives.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
126 pupils in the year group
Pupil numbers and mix
621 pupils on roll, with places for 635
Schools near Hurworth School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polam Hall School | 3 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | Attainment 8: 44.6 |
| St Aidan's Church of England Academy | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 40.0 |
| Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College | 3 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| Carmel College | 3 miles | Ofsted judgements: Outstanding | Attainment 8: 53.5 |
| Hummersknott Academy | 3 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | Attainment 8: 47.8 |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- NORTHERN ARCH LEARNING PARTNERSHIP
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Rachel Somerville
- Phone
- 01325720424
- Address
- Croft Road, Hurworth-on-Tees, Darlington, DL2 2JG
- Local authority
- Darlington
- URN
- 136525
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.