In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are above England, and results at 16 were above England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.
Dartford at a glance
Ahead of England on results at 11
How Dartford's schools compare with England, area by area.
Schools and nurseries4915 primary · 8 secondary · 26 nurseries
Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
Met the standard at 1171%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths70%Attainment 8 58.8, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary20%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school16%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Dartford
Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.
Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.
Worked out by Eduscope from each school's published figures. Not an official statistic for this town.
Numbers that sum up Dartford
DartfordEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 8 primaries with one.
100%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
5 of the 5 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
71%
England 62%
Above England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
70%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
16%
England 18%
Better than England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
20%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 13 schools that have one.
100%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding2
Good11
Requires improvement0
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Dartford in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1171% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths70% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school16% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here
What it's like for families
Dartford has 49 schools and nurseries.
There are 14% more pupils than in 2018.
20% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Dartford's state schools each January.
14.5k2018
14.8k2019
15.7k2021
16.1k2022
16.2k2023
16.3k2024
16.5k2025
16.5k2026
Up 14% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.
Free school meals
Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.
Dartford20%
Dates to know
Apply through your local council, even for academies and faith schools.
31 OctSecondary deadlineFor children starting Year 7.
15 JanPrimary deadlineFor children starting Reception.
1 MarSecondary offersOffers day for Year 7 places.
16 AprPrimary offersOffers day for Reception places.
Keep up with schools in Dartford
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Dartford has 49 schools, including 15 primary schools, 8 secondary schools, 26 nurseries. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.
What are the best schools in Dartford?+
The highest-ranked schools in Dartford on Eduscope are Dartford Grammar School for Girls, Dartford Grammar School, Leigh Academy Dartford. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.
What percentage of schools in Dartford are rated Good or Outstanding?+
100% of inspected schools in Dartford hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 2 schools rated Outstanding and 11 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Dartford perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Dartford, 71% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.
What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Dartford?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Dartford is 20.2:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.
What is the persistent absence rate in Dartford schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Dartford is 15.7%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.
How many pupils attend schools in Dartford?+
There are 16,465 pupils enrolled across schools in Dartford, with 7,052 in primary and 9,413 in secondary. 18.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How do I choose the right school in Dartford?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 49 schools in Dartford by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.
Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.
