Ofsted: Expected standard trending_up Places Available emoji_events #37 in North Yorkshire public Top 44% UK

Wensleydale School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

person Mrs Julia Polley (Headteacher)

location_onLeyburn, DL8 5HY

language Visit Website phone 01969622244

verified

Ofsted

Expected standard

Inspected 2026

groups

Students

345

trending_up

Attainment 8

40.1

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GCSE Rank

#33 in North Yorkshire

#2,884 of 4,024 nationally

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Wensleydale School is a Community school secondary school in Leyburn, serving ages 11-16. Assessed at Expected standard by Ofsted on its latest Report Card inspection.

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School Summary

Wensleydale School is a community school in Leyburn, North Yorkshire, admitting pupils aged 11-16. It has a sixth form offering post-16 education. The school has approximately 407 pupils on roll, of whom 17% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2026, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 40.1, placing the school #33 in North Yorkshire and #2,884 of 4,024 nationally. 28.40% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 9.3% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

In the 2022/23 leavers cohort, 0% progressed to Top-Third Higher Education institutions (ranked #1,937 nationally), out of 33.3% progressing to higher education overall.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2026. The school's current overall rating is Expected standard. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Expected standard, behaviour and attitudes Expected standard, personal development Expected standard, and leadership and management Expected standard.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.9× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 14.2:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 10.2 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

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Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2026

Attainment 8 Score

40.1

across 8 GCSE slots

Grade 5+ E&M

28.40%

Grade 4+ E&M

49.30%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)9.3%

5+ GCSEs (4+ incl. E&M)49.30%

Triple Science Entry23.90%

EBacc Slot Score12.3 / 30

2025

Attainment 8 Score

41.5

across 8 GCSE slots

Grade 5+ E&M

34.70%

Grade 4+ E&M

56.90%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)6.7%

Entering EBacc11.10%

EBacc APS3.51

2024

Progress 8 Score

-0.08

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

41.4

Grade 5+ E&M

25.40%

Entering EBacc18.30%

EBacc APS3.5

2023

Progress 8 Score

-0.48

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

41.7

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc14%

EBacc APS3.61

2022

Progress 8 Score

-0.64

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc12%

EBacc APS3.42

2019

Progress 8 Score

-0.58

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

38.7

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc27%

EBacc APS3.39

2018

Progress 8 Score

-0.01

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

43.4

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc20%

EBacc APS3.79

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Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2026

Stayed in Education / Employment

87.3%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)73.2%

Apprenticeships9.9%

Employment4.2%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)9.9%

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

96%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)72%

Apprenticeships14%

Employment11%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)4%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

92%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)51%

Apprenticeships27%

Employment14%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)7%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

89%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)71%

Apprenticeships8%

Employment10%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)8%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

99%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)74%

Apprenticeships12%

Employment13%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)1%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

95%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)83%

Apprenticeships9%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

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Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

A-level results for students who stayed in sixth form at this school. Value added measures how much progress students made relative to their GCSE starting point.

2025

2024

2023

Post-18 Destinations (2022/23 leavers)83.3% sustained

school Higher Education (University) 33.3%

stars Top-Third Universities 0%

handshake Apprenticeships 0%

work Employment 50%

Not sustained / NEET0%

2022

Source: DfE A Level and Other 16-18 Results & 16-19 Destination Measures

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Ranking History & Trajectory

National & Local Authority position based on DfE performance data · Methodology

Year	Secondary Overall (Nat)	LA Rank	GCSE Attainment	Progress 8 Rank	A-Level VA	Top-Third Uni	Overall Uni (HE)
2026	#2,942 / 4,024	#37	#2,884	#1	—	#1,937	—
2025	#2,049 / 3,948	#31	#2,605	#1	—	#1,937	—
2024	#2,271 / 4,450	#32	#2,576	#1,754	—	#1,937	—
2023	#2,752 / 4,321	#38	#2,501	#2,575	—	—	#2,238
2022	#2,453 / 4,199	#31	#2,947	#2,709	—	—	—
2019	#2,463 / 2,711	#26	#2,389	#2,500	—	—	—
2018	#1,589 / 2,537	#20	#1,737	#1,355	—	—	—

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

12 May 2026

Inspection Report

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25 May 2022

Inspection Report

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07 February 2017

Inspection Report

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20 March 2012

Inspection Report

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30 November 2009

Inspection Report

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03 June 2009

Inspection Report

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31 March 2009

Inspection Report

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09 December 2008

Inspection Report

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18 June 2008

Inspection Report

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16 January 2008

Inspection Report

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21 September 2006

Inspection Report

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28 February 2005

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

5 Evaluations

2026-05-12

S5 Inspection REIF Report Card

Report Card

info

Why no single overall grade?

From autumn 2024 / 2025, Ofsted replaced single-word headline grades (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate) with individual area judgements on a Report Card.

Curriculum & Teaching

Expected standard

Achievement

Expected standard

Attendance & Behaviour

Expected standard

Personal Development

Expected standard

Inclusion

Strong standard

Leadership & Governance

Expected standard

verified_user Safeguarding: Met

2022-05-25

S5 Inspection EIF

Good

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

verified_user Safeguarding: Met

2017-02-07

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

2012-03-20

S5 Inspection Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2009-11-30

None EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

9.0%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

5.9%(23 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 388 pupils. During this period, there were 35 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 9.0%, which is above the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	388	35	9.0%	7.3%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	389	44	11.3%	7.8%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	366	35	9.6%	7.4%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	363	35	9.6%	7.1%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	360	22	6.1%	8.2%	1
2022/23 (Summer term)	352	14	4.0%	6.6%	1
2022/23 (Spring term)	345	18	5.2%	6.4%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	348	19	5.5%	5.9%	1
2021/22 (Summer term)	333	31	9.3%	4.7%	1
2021/22 (Spring term)	329	26	7.9%	4.9%	1
2021/22 (Autumn term)	324	7	2.2%	4.4%	1
2020/21 (Summer term)	322	11	3.4%	3.6%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	316	4	1.3%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	310	19	6.1%	3.9%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	358	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	358	11	3.1%	3.2%	4
2019/20 (Autumn term)	366	29	7.9%	4.2%	0
2018/19 (Summer term)	385	15	3.9%	3.1%	1
2018/19 (Spring term)	385	18	4.7%	3.8%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	385	21	5.5%	3.8%	1
2017/18 (Summer term)	393	17	4.3%	3.4%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	391	12	3.1%	3.0%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	392	27	6.9%	3.7%	1
2016/17 (Summer term)	428	21	4.9%	3.0%	2
2016/17 (Spring term)	423	21	5.0%	3.3%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	426	26	6.1%	3.1%	0

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 34 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 29 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 22 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 16 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 7 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 6 pupils

Physical Disability 3 pupils

Hearing Impairment 2 pupils

Severe Learning Difficulty 1 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

Overall, how do parents view this school?

84%Positive

My child is happy at this school.

87%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

91%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

When bullying took place, the school dealt with it quickly and effectively.

strongly agree26%

agree30%

disagree26%

strongly disagree9%

not applicable77%

Neither agree nor disagree9%

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree39%

agree42%

disagree6%

strongly disagree3%

Neither agree nor disagree10%

When the school makes decisions it has the child's best interests at heart.

strongly agree53%

agree31%

Neither agree nor disagree6%

disagree5%

strongly disagree4%

Don't know1%

The school gives my child the right support to enable them to learn well.

strongly agree46%

agree38%

Neither agree nor disagree8%

disagree4%

strongly disagree4%

The school communicates well with me about the things I need to know.

strongly agree43%

agree40%

disagree7%

strongly disagree5%

Neither agree nor disagree5%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly.

strongly agree47%

agree25%

disagree8%

strongly disagree4%

not applicable11%

Neither agree nor disagree5%

Does your child have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND)?

yes37%

no63%

My child has SEND, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree57%

agree22%

disagree11%

strongly disagree5%

Neither agree nor disagree5%

Would you recommend this school to another parent?

yes89%

no11%

Top Secondary Schools in North Yorkshire

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

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Ripon Grammar School

Good

location_on Ripon, HG4 2DG

emoji_events #1 in LA

Skipton Girls' High School

Good

location_on Skipton, BD23 1QL

emoji_events #2 in LA

Ermysted's Grammar School

Good

location_on Skipton, BD23 1PL

emoji_events #3 in LA

St Aidan's Church of England High School

Expected standard

location_on Harrogate, HG2 8JR

emoji_events #4 in LA

St Francis Xavier School - a Joint Catholic and Church of England Voluntary Academy

Outstanding

location_on Richmond, DL10 7DA

emoji_events #5 in LA

Harrogate Grammar School

Expected standard

location_on Harrogate, HG2 0DZ

emoji_events #6 in LA

View all schools in North Yorkshire arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

Ranking History & Trajectory

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Secondary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Overall, how do parents view this school?

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

When bullying took place, the school dealt with it quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

When the school makes decisions it has the child's best interests at heart.

The school gives my child the right support to enable them to learn well.

The school communicates well with me about the things I need to know.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly.

Does your child have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND)?

My child has SEND, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

Would you recommend this school to another parent?

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Secondary Schools in North Yorkshire

Ripon Grammar School

Skipton Girls' High School

Ermysted's Grammar School

St Aidan's Church of England High School

St Francis Xavier School - a Joint Catholic and Church of England Voluntary Academy

Harrogate Grammar School