Abbey Junior School is a mainstream primary school in Darlington for children aged 7 to 11. In January 2026, 34 of its 362 pupils (9.4%) were getting SEN support and 14 (3.9%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 7–11
- 362 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state primary schools across England and in Darlington.
9.4% get SEN support
34 of 362 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Lower than the England average.
3.9% have an EHC plan
14 of 362 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
About the same as the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health13
- Speech, language and communication13
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia10
- Autism5
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream primary school
- Run as
- Academy
- Ages
- 7 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 362 (places for 360)
- Headteacher
- Mr Michael Piper-Nelson
- Part of
- Melrose Learning Trust
- Free school meals
- 9.4% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Darlington
- School reference (URN)
- 136989
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Darlington council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Good, December 2012; school remains Good (June 2023)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in December 2012. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, June 2023).
Contact and getting there
Abbey Road, Darlington, DL3 8NN
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Marchbank Free School Special school · Ages 5–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.8 miles
- Embleton View Independent · Ages 5–18 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.2 miles
- Mount Pleasant Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.3 miles
- Heathfield Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 2.0 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Abbey Infants' School Primary · Ages 4–7 · SEN support 1.5%, EHC plans 3.8% 0.2 miles
- Carmel College Secondary · Ages 11–18 · SEN support 12.1%, EHC plans 2.9% 0.4 miles
- St Augustine's Catholic Primary School Primary · Ages 2–11 · SEN support 10.7%, EHC plans 2.7% 0.6 miles
All mainstream schools in Darlington SEND schools in Darlington
Questions about Abbey Junior School
How many pupils at Abbey Junior School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 34 of the 362 pupils (9.4%) were getting SEN support and 14 (3.9%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state primary schools it is 15.4% and 4.1%.
What are the most common needs at Abbey Junior School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (13 pupils), speech, language and communication needs (13 pupils) and dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (10 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Abbey Junior School?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at Abbey Junior School?
Through Darlington council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to Abbey Junior School?
You can ask for Abbey Junior School to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does Abbey Junior School have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Mount Pleasant Primary School, about 1.3 miles away.
Where is Abbey Junior School?
Abbey Road, Darlington, DL3 8NN, in Darlington.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.