Aspin Park Academy

About Aspin Park Academy

Aspin Park Academy is a state primary school in North Yorkshire that is currently running above its official capacity, with 427 pupils against a published capacity of 420. That slight oversubscription is backed up by the school’s admission data for 2025/26: it received 138 applications for 60 places, a ratio of 2.3 applicants per spot, and made 59 offers to first-preference families out of 73 who put it top of their list. The school serves a relatively affluent intake — just 8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the national average for primary schools — which suggests a predominantly middle-class catchment. The school is non-denominational, mixed, and covers the full primary age range from 5 to 11. Headteacher Emma Meadus leads a team that has kept the school popular enough to be significantly oversubscribed, a clear signal that local families see it as a strong option in the Knaresborough area.

Academically, Aspin Park performs well above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 73% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a North Yorkshire average of 60%. The school ranks 44th out of 223 primary schools in the county, placing it in the top 20% locally, and 3,258th nationally out of 13,686 — comfortably within the top quarter of all primaries. Subject-level results are solid: 86% met the expected standard in writing, 81% in maths, and 80% in reading. At the higher standard, 42% of pupils achieved above the expected level in reading, 39% in maths, and 23% in writing. Average scaled scores were 108 in reading and 107 in maths. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2023, rated it Good overall, with an Outstanding grade for behaviour and attitudes — a notable strength that suggests a calm, purposeful learning environment.

The school offers a broad set of facilities including playing fields, a gymnasium, art studios, a library, and a forest school area, plus a chapel on site. Sports provision covers athletics, football, netball, cricket, rounders and dance, and there are clubs for coding, drama and eco activities. For families with children who have additional needs, Aspin Park lists support for a wide range of SEND categories, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, hearing impairment, physical disability, and social, emotional and mental health needs. There is no nursery or sixth form. Given its strong academic results, low FSM intake, and high demand for places, this school is likely to suit families who value consistent above-average outcomes and a well-behaved, structured environment, but who are prepared to compete for a place in a popular oversubscribed school.

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