Hardest and easiest Darlington primary schools to get into

The Great British Schools Guide has released data highlighting the hardest and easiest primary schools to get into around Darlington.

The rankings are based on “an equal-weighted combination of catchment tightness and fullness relative to recorded capacity”.

The fullness of each school provides an indication of demand and is a “sound measure of pressure on places”.

Does the list surprise you at all? (Image: Getty)

Hardest primary schools to get into in Darlington

St John’s Church of England is the hardest primary school to get into, with the school fullness ranking of 118%.

The school received an outstanding report from OFSTED in October 2022 and only received a good ranking in its early years provision.

The school says it is “dedicated to offering a safe and positive environment where children feel valued, heard, and cared for”.

The school teaches students a whole range of subjects from art, French, and maths to music, geography, and computing.

Top 10 hardest Darlington primary schools to get into:

1. St John’s Church of England Academy – 118%
2. Mount Pleasant Primary School – 103%
3. West Park Academy – 108%
4. Springfield Academy – 100%
5. The Rydal Academy – 99%
6. Mowden Junior School – 128%
7. Reid Street Primary School – 92%
8. Northwood Primary School – 100%
9. Corporation Road Community Primary School – 84%
10. Firthmoor Primary School – 78%

Easiest primary schools to get into in Darlington

Heighington Church of England Primary School came in first place by scoring the highest on a combination of wide catchment and lower school fullness.

The school was last inspected in February 2025 and received a rating of good for all of the sections evaluated.

The school has a “very good reputation” with some children travelling from surrounding towns and villages to attend.

Children at the school are “challenged to be inquisitive, courageous, creative and resilient learners”.

Top 10 easiest Darlington primary schools to get into:

1. Heighington Church of England Primary School - 96%
2. Polam Hall School - 95%
3. St George’s Church of England Academy - 95%
4. Heathfield Primary School - 91%
5. Whinfield Primary School - 94%
6. Harrowgate Hill Primary School - 62%
7. Abbey Junior School - 98%
8. Abbey Infants’ School - 98%
9. Mowden Infant School - 98%
10. Hurworth Primary School Darlington - 105%

Are you surprised by these lists? Let us know in the comments.