The Rydal Academy Catchment Area
The Rydal Academy is an academy sponsor led primary school in Darlington , serving pupils aged 2-11, with 621 pupils, and a capacity of 630 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
2-11
Age range
621
Pupils
630
Capacity
99%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2022
The Rydal Academy Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for The Rydal Academy?
The catchment area for The Rydal Academy is the geographic zone Darlington uses to prioritise admissions when this primary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Darlington publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
As an academy, The Rydal Academy sets its own admissions criteria, agreed with Darlington. The catchment area boundary is defined in the school's annual admissions policy, which may differ from the LA's general school admissions arrangements.
Get an alert if The Rydal Academy goes oversubscribed for 2027 →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Darlington before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Darlington catchment area documents →The Rydal Academy: 630 places, 99% filled: nearing capacity
The Rydal Academy has a published admission number of 630 places. 621 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 99%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 630, Darlington's admissions team applies distance-based tiebreakers. Families within the school's historical catchment boundary are well placed, but a boundary check with the council is recommended before applying.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 49.6% of pupils at The Rydal Academy are eligible for free school meals, above the national average of around 24%. This reflects the school's role in a higher-deprivation area of Darlington.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Darlington publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Find Darlington school admissions →
The Rydal Academy: School Information
- Full address
- Rydal Road, Darlington, DL1 4BH
- Local authority
- Darlington
- School type
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase of education
- Primary
- Age range
- 2-11 years
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 49.6% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 138989
Other Primary Schools in Darlington
If The Rydal Academy is oversubscribed, these primary schools in Darlington are the next closest alternatives.
Red Hall Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · DL1 2ST
Staindrop CofE (Controlled) Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · DL2 3NL
Harrowgate Hill Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · DL3 0HZ
Reid Street Primary School Catchment Area
Academy converter · DL3 6EX
Abbey Infants' School Catchment Area
Academy converter · DL3 8JA
Abbey Junior School Catchment Area
Academy converter · DL3 8NN
Nearest primary schools by distance
These are the primary schools closest to The Rydal Academy by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: The Rydal Academy
What is the catchment area for The Rydal Academy? ▾
The catchment area for The Rydal Academy is the geographic zone Darlington uses to prioritise admissions when this primary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Darlington publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is The Rydal Academy oversubscribed? ▾
The Rydal Academy is operating close to its capacity of 630 places (99% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for The Rydal Academy? ▾
Admission to The Rydal Academy is managed by Darlington. When oversubscribed, places go to looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment area distance. Always verify the current policy with the council before applying.
What age range does The Rydal Academy cover? ▾
The Rydal Academy is a primary school in Darlington, serving pupils aged 2-11. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for The Rydal Academy? ▾
The Rydal Academy was rated Good by Ofsted in 2022. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.