Dishforth Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

About Dishforth Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Dishforth Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School holds a Good rating from its most recent graded inspection in 2019, and an ungraded inspection in December 2024 confirmed that standards are being maintained. The school’s most telling academic metric is its Key Stage 2 combined reading, writing and maths expected standard, which 62% of pupils achieved in the 2023/24 academic year. That figure sits just above the North Yorkshire local authority average of 60%, placing the school 100th out of 223 primary schools in the area. In reading, 77% of pupils reached the expected standard and the average scaled score was 103, while in maths 69% met the expected standard with an average score of 100. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher standard in reading was 8%, and 15% did so in maths, though no pupils reached the higher standard in writing or the combined measure.

The Ofsted breakdown reveals a school with real strengths beyond the headline grade. Personal development was judged Outstanding in the 2019 inspection, and the 2024 ungraded visit found that this high standard has been sustained. Behaviour and attitudes, quality of education, early years provision and leadership and management were all rated Good. The previous graded inspection in 2007 had awarded an overall Outstanding, so the current Good rating represents a measured step down, but the school has held a Good or better rating across every inspection on record. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 100% of the 15 respondents to the Parent View survey would recommend the school, with 87% strongly agreeing that their child feels safe and 73% strongly agreeing that their child is happy and that behaviour is well managed.

The school is a Church of England voluntary controlled primary for children aged 3 to 11, with nursery provision on site. It is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 30 applications for 14 places, all of which went to first-preference families. Facilities include a music room, sensory room, sports hall, library and chapel, and clubs range from coding and eco club to film club, drama and choir. The school’s SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 95 pupils on roll and a capacity of 105, classes are small. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Dishforth Airfield Community Primary School, 2.4 km away, but for families who value a strong Church of England ethos, solid academic outcomes and a deeply positive parent community, this is a compelling local option.

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