Marchbank Free School is a special free school in Darlington for children and young people aged 5 to 11. It supports autism and SEMH.
- Ages 5–11
- 63 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Special free school
- Ages
- 5 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 63 (places for 65)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Tess Wright (Chief Executive)
- Part of
- The Education Village Academy Trust
- Opened
- 1 September 2013
- Free school meals
- 66.7% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Darlington
- School reference (URN)
- 139691
Needs it supports
2 needs: autism, SEMH
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Darlington (1)
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Darlington council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Rated Good, January 2024
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in January 2024.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Mowden Hall, Barnes Road, Darlington, DL3 9BL
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Mount Pleasant Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.6 miles
- Embleton View Independent · Ages 5–18 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.9 miles
- Rise Carr College Alternative provision · Ages 11–16 1.6 miles
All SEND schools in Darlington
By need in Darlington: Autism (4) · SEMH (2) · Speech and language (2)
Questions about Marchbank Free School
How do I get a place at Marchbank Free School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult Marchbank Free School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Marchbank Free School support?
Autism and social, emotional and mental health. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Marchbank Free School take?
Aged 5 to 11, boys and girls.
What is Marchbank Free School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in January 2024 at its last graded inspection. Newer inspections no longer give a single overall grade, so read the latest report for the full picture.
Where is Marchbank Free School?
Mowden Hall, Barnes Road, Darlington, DL3 9BL, in Darlington.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, 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.