Marchbank Free School, based in Darlington, provides not applicable education, serving pupils aged 5 to 11. The school is a free schools special and operates as a mixed school. It follows a not applicable admissions policy. It does not have a designated religious character, which may suit families looking for a non-faith school.
Marchbank Free School currently has around 55 pupils on roll, which is about 85% of its capacity. The gender split is relatively balanced, with approximately 90.9% boys and 9.1% girls. Around 60.0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which gives an indication of the socio-economic mix. The school has a diverse intake across different backgrounds and needs.
Overall absence at the school is 10.2%. Persistent absence is recorded at 24.1%. The school also includes resourced provision, supporting 63 pupils.
The majority of pupils are from a white british background (90.9%).
At its latest Ofsted inspection, the school was rated Good. This suggests the school is performing well overall. Safeguarding was judged to be effective, which is a key consideration for many parents.
| Address: | Mowden Hall, Darlington, DL3 9BL |
| Website: | www.educationvillage.org.uk |
| Telephone: | 01325254670 |
| School Type: | Free schools special |
| Education phase: | Not applicable |
| Local authority: | Darlington |
| Headteacher / Principal: | Mrs Caroline Green |
| Religious character: | Does not apply |
| Admissions policy: | Not applicable |
| Unique reference: | 139691 |
Ofsted inspection date: 23/01/2024
Safeguarding is effective
| Age Range: | 5 - 11 |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| School Capacity: | 65 |
| Number of Pupils: | 55 |
| Number of Boys: | 50 |
| Number of Girls: | 5 |
| School | England state-funded schools: | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall absence: | 10.2% | 4% |
| Persistent absence: | 24.1% | 8.2% |
| White British | 90.90% | 50 |
| White and Black African | 3.60% | 2 |
| Unclassified | 3.60% | 2 |
| Other Mixed | 1.80% | 1 |
| Other White | 0.00% | 0 |
| Gypsy/Roma | 0.00% | 0 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.00% | 0 |
| Irish Traveller (Traveller of Irish heritage) | 0.00% | 0 |
| White and Asian | 0.00% | 0 |
| Irish | 0.00% | 0 |
| Pakistani | 0.00% | 0 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.00% | 0 |
| Other Asian | 0.00% | 0 |
| Chinese | 0.00% | 0 |
| Caribbean | 0.00% | 0 |
| African | 0.00% | 0 |
| Other Black | 0.00% | 0 |
| Other (any other ethnic group) | 0.00% | 0 |
| Indian | 0.00% | 0 |
Progress scores show how pupils performed compared with pupils nationally who had similar prior attainment. Scores above 0 are better than average; below 0 are worse than average.
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Dent Nursery School Elms Road , DL3 7PY | 4out of 4 | 2,079 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Corporation Road Nursery School Corporation Road , DL3 6AR | - not rated | 2,507 yd | Local authority nursery school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Borough Road Nursery School Borough Road , DL1 1SG | 3out of 4 | 3,199 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mowden Junior School Conyers Avenue , DL3 9DE | 3out of 4 | 243 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Mowden Junior School Conyers Avenue , DL3 9DE | - not rated | 243 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Mowden Infant School Bushel Hill Drive , DL3 9QG | 3out of 4 | 379 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Mowden Infants' School Bushel Hill Drive , DL3 9QG | - not rated | 379 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| St Mary's Cockerton Church of England Primary School Newton Lane , Cockerton DL3 9EX | - not rated | 665 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darlington School of Maths and Science Eggleston View , DL3 9SH | - not rated | 788 yd | Academy sponsor led | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Wyvern Academy Eggleston View , DL3 9SH | 3out of 4 | 788 yd | Academy sponsor led | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Darlington School of Maths & Science Eggleston View , DL3 9SH | - not rated | 788 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Carmel College The Headlands , DL3 8RW | - not rated | 958 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Carmel RC College The Headlands , DL3 8RW | - not rated | 958 yd | Voluntary aided school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College Vane Terrace , DL3 7AU | - not rated | 2,019 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College Vane Terrace , DL3 7AU | - not rated | 2,019 yd | Academy 16-19 converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polam Hall School Grange Road , DL1 5PA | 3out of 4 | 2,688 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marchbank Free School Mowden Hall , Barnes Road DL3 9BL | 3out of 4 | 0 yd | Free schools special | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Meadholme Dene Grove , DL3 9LU | - not rated | 1,376 yd | Other independent special school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Yarm at Raventhorpe Carmel Road North , DL3 8JB | - not rated | 1,580 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Embleton View Westgate House , Coniscliffe Road DL3 8TF | - not rated | 1,742 yd | Other independent special school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Polam Hall School Grange Road , DL1 5PA | - not rated | 2,656 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.