Carmel College
The Headlands, Darlington, DL3 8RW
1,367 pupils · 99% of 1,382 capacity
- Phase
- Secondary
- Type
- Academy converter
- Ages
- 11–18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Trust
- BISHOP HOGARTH CATHOLIC EDUCATION TRUST
- Local authority
- Darlington
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 19.3%
Ofsted
No overall grade (2024) — Inspected 2024–2025 — no overall grade under the interim framework
This school has not yet been inspected under the report-card system introduced in November 2025. When it is, this section will show a grade for each area — Ofsted says the new grades do not map onto the old ones, so we do not predict them.
Inspected 1 October 2024, published 10 November 2024. Read the full Ofsted report
England has three coexisting inspection systems — how we translate them into one signal.
Exam results
| Measure | 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| Attainment 8 score | 53.5 |
| Grade 5 or above in English & maths (strong pass) | 60.1% |
| Grade 4 or above in English & maths (standard pass) | 80.8% |
| Entering the English Baccalaureate | 73.6% |
Progress 8 is not published nationally for 2024/25 and 2025/26 while KS2 baselines are missing (no SATs in 2020/21). It returns from 2026/27.
“Not published (small cohort)” means the DfE suppressed the figure to protect small cohorts — it is not a zero.
Will my child get in?
Oversubscribed — 1.41 first-choice applications per place (Sept 2026 entry)
| Entry | Places | 1st preferences | Total preferences | Offers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2026 entry | 216 | 305 | 511 | 216 |
| Sept 2025 entry | 217 | 281 | 528 | 217 |
| Sept 2024 entry | 216 | 251 | 490 | 216 |
| Sept 2023 entry | 199 | 254 | 432 | 199 |
| Sept 2022 entry | 193 | 251 | 427 | 193 |
| Sept 2021 entry | 210 | 264 | 449 | 210 |
| Sept 2020 entry | 200 | 294 | 522 | 200 |
| Sept 2019 entry | 200 | 282 | 485 | 200 |
First-choice demand varies year to year, and the school’s admission criteria — not demand — decide who is offered a place. Use this as a rough signal, never a prediction.
Nearby alternatives
- Hummersknott Academy 0.6 km · Most areas: Expected standard (2026)
- Wyvern Academy 1.6 km · Good (2023) · previous system
- Longfield Academy 3.3 km · No overall grade (2024)
- St Aidan's Church of England Academy 3.5 km · Good (2020) · previous system
- Haughton Academy 4.2 km · Most areas: Expected standard (2026)
- Hurworth School 5.4 km · Good (2022) · previous system
Straight-line distance — not travel time, and not a catchment. Same phase, open schools only.
Data from DfE and Ofsted open data (OGL v3) — sources. School record updated 10 July 2026. Report incorrect data.