Askrigg Voluntary Controlled Primary School

About Askrigg Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Askrigg Voluntary Controlled Primary School, a small state primary in North Yorkshire, was rated Good overall in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, a rating it has held consistently since its previous graded inspection in 2012. The most telling academic metric comes from the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, where 45% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. This figure sits well below the North Yorkshire local authority average of 60%, placing the school 190th out of 292 primary schools in the area. On individual subjects, reading was a relative strength, with 73% of pupils reaching the expected standard and 45% achieving a higher score. Maths and writing were weaker, with 64% and 55% meeting expectations respectively. The school’s average reading score of 107 was notably higher than its maths average of 103, suggesting a particular focus on literacy.

The Ofsted breakdown reveals a more nuanced picture. While overall effectiveness, quality of education, personal development, and behaviour and attitudes were all judged Good, early years provision was rated Requires improvement. This is a specific area flagged for attention, and parents of younger children may want to explore how this is being addressed. The school is very small, with just 33 pupils against a capacity of 52, and 12.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals. Progress scores for reading, writing and maths were not available in the data, so it is difficult to assess how well the school moves children forward from their starting points. The school’s national ranking for the combined expected standard places it in the bottom 50% of all primary schools.

Askrigg offers a range of facilities including playing fields, a forest school, library, art studios, ICT suite and an outdoor playground. Sports on offer include netball, athletics, cross country and football, while clubs extend to book club, coding, drama, art club and choir. The school has identified SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties (dyslexia), moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, and speech, language and communication needs. For the 2025/26 intake, the school was oversubscribed: it received 7 applications for 5 places, with all 5 first-preference applicants receiving an offer, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.4. This suggests a small but committed local community. The school suits families who value a very small, rural setting with a strong emphasis on reading and outdoor learning, but who are aware that academic outcomes are below the county average and that early years provision needs improvement.

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