Darenth Valley

Summary

Darenth Valley (E02005091) is part of Kent local authority (view on map). Darenth Valley has an approximate population of 6,800 people, of which 17% are children 15 years old and under. It is classified as "smaller rural: nearer to a major town or city".

Darenth Valley neighbours Bean, Darenth & Sutton at Hone, Longfield, New Barn & Southfleet, Swanley East & Hextable, Swanley South & Crockenhill, West Kingsdown, and Knockholt, Shoreham & Dunton Green.

Guidance and data sources

Local area pages are based on the middle-layer super output areas (MSOAs) distributed across the country. MSOAs comprise between 2,000 and 6,000 households and have a resident population of, generally, between 5,000 and 15,000 people. MSOAs fit within local authorities. For each area, descriptive statistics are compared with local authority and national averages. For more information about MSOAs, please visit the Office for National Statistics website.

The data displayed is sourced from:

Deprivation

Darenth Valley is the 56th least deprived area in Kent (out of 183) with 24% of children living in low-income families, compared to 32% across Kent and 38% nationally.

Data source

State-funded pupil characteristics

Information acquired from the school census.

Free school meals

In Darenth Valley, 18% of state-funded pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared to 27% in Kent and 27% nationally.

Contents

Percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals

Table showing the percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals

% in Darenth Valley % in Kent % in England
Eligible for free school meals 18% 27% 27%
Not eligible for free school meals 82% 73% 73%

Data source

Special educational needs

In Darenth Valley, 19% of pupils in state-funded settings have special educational needs (SEN), compared to 20% in Kent, and 21% nationally.

This includes the number of pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan and the number of pupils with SEN support.

Contents

Percentage of pupils with special educational needs in schools

Table showing the percentage of pupils with special educational needs in schools

% in Darenth Valley % in Kent % in England
No special educational needs 81% 80% 79%
Receiving special educational needs support 12% 14% 15%
With an education, health, and care plan (EHCP) 7.0% 6.0% 6.0%

Data source

Ethnicity

In Darenth Valley, 10% of pupils are from a minority ethnic background, compared to 22% in Kent, and 33% nationally.

Percentages may not sum to 100%, due to small values being suppressed.

Contents

Percentage of pupils by major ethnic groups

Table

% in Darenth Valley % in Kent % in England
White 89% 77% 67%
Asian 1.0% 7.0% 14%
Black 2.0% 6.0% 7.0%
Mixed 6.0% 7.0% 7.0%
Other – 1.0% 3.0%
Not known – 1.0% 2.0%

Data source

English as an additional language

The percentage of pupils in Darenth Valley with English as an additional language is 4.0%, compared with 14% in Kent, and 22% nationally.

Numbers may not sum to 100%, due to a small number of pupils with an unclassified language.

Contents

Percentage of pupils with English as an additional language

Table

% in Darenth Valley % in Kent % in England
Known or believed to be other than English 4.0% 14% 22%
Known or believed to be English 96% 86% 78%

Data source

Provider information

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Registered childcare providers

Darenth Valley has 9 registered childcare providers.

Type Number in Darenth Valley
All childcare providers 9
Childminders 3
Pre-school/day nursery/out-of-school care 6

In Darenth Valley, there has been 1 full inspection of childcare providers since the introduction of the renewed education inspection framework in November 2025.

Under the renewed education inspection framework, childcare providers are evaluated on the following areas:

  • Achievement
  • Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines
  • Children's welfare and wellbeing
  • Curriculum and teaching
  • Inclusion
  • Leadership and governance

We use a 5-point scale to grade different areas of a provider’s work. The evaluation scale for each evaluation area, other than safeguarding, is:

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Achievement: 1 was graded 'expected standard' (of 1).

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: 1 was graded 'expected standard' (of 1).

Children's welfare and wellbeing: 1 was graded 'expected standard' (of 1).

Curriculum and teaching: 1 was graded 'expected standard' (of 1).

Inclusion: 1 was graded 'strong standard' (of 1).

Leadership and governance: 1 was graded 'strong standard' (of 1).

The tables below show the outcomes of inspections of childcare providers in Darenth Valley. The tables are split by provider type, and show the number of inspections that have taken place for each area, and the outcomes of those inspections.

Contents

All childcare

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 1 0 0 1 0 0
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines 1 0 0 1 0 0
Children's welfare and wellbeing 1 0 0 1 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 1 0 0 1 0 0
Inclusion 1 0 1 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 1 0 1 0 0 0

Childminders

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 0 0 0 0 0 0
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines 0 0 0 0 0 0
Children's welfare and wellbeing 0 0 0 0 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inclusion 0 0 0 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 0 0 0 0 0 0

Pre-school/day nursery/out-of-school care

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 1 0 0 1 0 0
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines 1 0 0 1 0 0
Children's welfare and wellbeing 1 0 0 1 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 1 0 0 1 0 0
Inclusion 1 0 1 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 1 0 1 0 0 0

Data source

State-funded schools

Darenth Valley has 2 state-funded schools.

Type Number in Darenth Valley
All state-funded schools 2
Nursery schools 0
Primary and all-through schools 2
Secondary and all-through schools 0
Special schools 0
Registered alternative provision 0

There have been no inspections of schools in Darenth Valley since the introduction of the renewed education inspection framework in November 2025.

Data sources:

Independent schools

Darenth Valley has no independent schools.

Data sources: