Gillamoor Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

About Gillamoor Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Gillamoor Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is a small village primary in North Yorkshire, currently teaching 59 pupils against a stated capacity of 56, meaning it is running slightly over its official limit. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 11.9%, which is below the national average for primary schools and suggests a relatively affluent intake. Demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 19 applications for just 8 places, with all 8 first-preference applicants offered a spot. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 2.38, a clear signal that local families rate the school highly. The school is Church of England voluntary controlled, with headteacher S Bond in charge, and its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2024 confirmed that standards are being maintained, upgrading from a Requires Improvement rating in 2013 to a current overall effectiveness of Good.

Academically, the picture is mixed. At Key Stage 2 in 2023/24, just 40% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is notably below the North Yorkshire local authority average of 60%. The school ranks 202nd out of 223 primary schools in the county on this measure, placing it in the bottom 50% nationally. However, individual subject scores tell a more nuanced story: 80% of pupils met the expected standard in writing, and 60% did so in reading, while maths lagged at 50%. Average scaled scores were 104 in reading and 99 in maths. The school’s Ofsted report from 2015 rated leadership and management as Good, and the early years provision was also judged Good, though the 2024 ungraded inspection simply noted that standards were maintained without a full graded revisit.

The school offers a solid range of facilities for its size, including a Forest School, library, playing fields, gymnasium, music rooms and a chapel. Sports on offer include football, cricket, gymnastics and swimming, while clubs extend to drama, science, film and art. SEND provision is listed for social, emotional and mental health needs, though parent view data on this specific question was not answered by any of the 14 respondents. The parent view survey overall was extremely positive: 100% of respondents would recommend the school, and 71% strongly agreed that their child is happy and feels safe. This is a school that suits families seeking a close-knit, Church of England village primary with strong pastoral care and a clear community feel, but parents should be aware that academic outcomes at KS2 are below the local average and competition for places is high.

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