Cawood Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

About Cawood Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Cawood Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School sits within the North Yorkshire local authority, a large and varied county for primary education. Among the 292 primary schools in the area, the school ranks 44th based on the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, placing it comfortably in the top 25% of schools locally. Its closest peers at the very top of the rankings include Eppleby Forcett Church of England Primary School and Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, both of which achieved a perfect ranking score of 100, and Middleton Tyas Church of England Primary School with a score of 95. Cawood’s own score of 73 reflects solid performance within this competitive landscape. The school is a voluntary aided Church of England primary for mixed genders aged 3 to 11, with a nursery on site. Headteacher Nick Payling leads a small school of 127 pupils, well within its capacity of 147, and the school is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 35 applications for just 14 places, all 14 of which went to first-preference families.

Academically, Cawood performs 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 the North Yorkshire average of 60%. The school’s strongest subject was reading, where 87% of pupils met the expected standard and 20% achieved a higher standard. In maths, 80% met the expected standard and 20% reached the higher mark, while in writing 73% met the expected standard and 13% achieved the higher level. Average scaled scores in both reading and maths were 105, above the national benchmark of 100. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in July 2024, confirmed that the school remains Good overall, with leadership and management also judged Good. The early years provision was rated Outstanding, a notable improvement from its previous Good rating in 2015. The school has a very low proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at just 3.1%, well below the national average.

The school offers a range of facilities including a sports hall, playing fields, an outdoor playground, a sensory room and a chapel, reflecting its Church of England foundation. Sports provision includes cross country, netball, tennis and athletics, while extracurricular clubs cover science, art, coding and chess. The school has identified SEND provisions for pupils with moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and physical disabilities. With a small roll and high oversubscription, Cawood is a popular choice for local families who value strong academic outcomes within a church school setting. Its nursery provision makes it particularly suitable for families looking for continuity from early years through to the end of primary, and the Outstanding early years rating adds further appeal for those with younger children.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Cawood Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents