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Schools in Darton

A town in Barnsley

  • Town
  • 8 schools and nurseries
  • 2,350 pupils

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.

Three children with backpacks crossing a street
A red-brick school building under a blue sky

Darton at a glance

Ahead of England on results at 11

How Darton's schools compare with England, area by area.

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries84 primary · 1 secondary · 3 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1168%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths66%Attainment 8 50.7, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary18%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school17%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Darton

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.

All Darton primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Darton

4 mainstream schools in Darton, best first

Mapplewell Primary School

Barnsley, S75 6BB · Academy · Primary · Ages 3 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results well above the England average.

54 first choices, 44 offers made

Met the standard at 1176%

England 62%

Days missed
4.2%
Pupils
343
Pupils per teacher
19.7
View school Mapplewell Primary School

Kexborough Primary School

Barnsley, S75 5EF · Academy · Primary · Ages 3 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results below the England average.

17 first choices, 18 offers made

Met the standard at 1157%

England 62%

Days missed
5.6%
Pupils
187
Pupils per teacher
23.0
View school Kexborough Primary School

Wellgate Primary School

Barnsley, S75 6HR · Academy · Primary · Ages 3 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results well above the England average.

54 first choices, 60 offers made

Met the standard at 1172%

England 62%

Days missed
6.3%
Pupils
424
Pupils per teacher
22.7
View school Wellgate Primary School

Top Secondary Schools in Darton

1 mainstream schools in Darton, best first

Darton Academy

Barnsley, S75 5EF · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16

  • Ofsted:Good

Results above the England average.

217 first choices, 230 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1650.7

England 46.2

Days missed
7.3%
Pupils
1,099
Pupils per teacher
21.1
View school Darton Academy

Nurseries in Darton

3 in Darton, highest Ofsted grade first

The map

Every school in Darton, on one map

Each dot is a school or nursery, coloured by its latest Ofsted grade. Point at a dot to see its name, or use the list.

See them as a list
Show
Darton Primary School, GoodWellgate Primary School, GoodKexborough Primary School, GoodDarton Academy, GoodMapplewell Primary School, GoodLeap Ahead Day Nursery Ltd, GoodMarys Little Lambs Staincross, GoodFenwood House Day Nursery Mapplewell, Expected standard in every area
  • Good7
  • Not graded yet1
Before you apply

Apply through the council where you live

Your home council handles your application, wherever the school is. Living nearby doesn't guarantee a place: each school's admission rules decide.

Postcodes

Browse Darton by postcode

Some areas, like parts of a bigger town, are easiest to find by postcode.

Darton vs England

How good are Darton's schools?

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 Darton

DartonEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 4 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding

    1 of the 1 with a grade.

    100%

    England 93%

    Above England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    68%

    England 62%

    Above England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    66%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

    Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.

    17%

    England 18%

    Better than England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    18%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 5 schools that have one.

100%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding0
  • Good5
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

Darton in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap50%65%80%20182019202320242025
68% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
40%60%80%20222023202420252026
66% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%15%30%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
17% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Darton has 8 schools and nurseries.

There are 2% fewer pupils than in 2018.

18% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Darton's state schools each January.

Down 2% since 2018.

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.

Darton18%

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 Darton

Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.

Questions

Questions parents ask about Darton

How many schools are in Darton?

Darton has 8 schools, including 4 primary schools, 1 secondary school, 3 nurseries. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Darton?

The highest-ranked schools in Darton on Eduscope are Mapplewell Primary School, Darton Academy, Kexborough Primary School. 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 Darton are rated Good or Outstanding?

100% of inspected schools in Darton hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 0 schools rated Outstanding and 5 rated Good.

How do primary schools in Darton perform at Key Stage 2?

Across primary schools in Darton, 68% 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 Darton?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Darton is 21.8:1. 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 Darton schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Darton is 17.1%. 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 Darton?

There are 2,350 pupils enrolled across schools in Darton, with 1,251 in primary and 1,099 in secondary. 20.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How do I choose the right school in Darton?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 8 schools in Darton 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.

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