Lothersdale Primary School

About Lothersdale Primary School

Lothersdale Primary School stands out sharply against the North Yorkshire average for primary schools. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 87% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a local authority average of just 60%. That is a 27 percentage point gap, and it places the school 11th out of 223 primary schools in the county, comfortably inside the top 5% nationally. The school is also full to capacity with 105 pupils, and it was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 26 applications for just 9 places. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, awarded Outstanding across every graded category: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This is a school that consistently delivers results well above the local norm.

The exam data backs up the Ofsted judgement. In reading, every single pupil reached the expected standard, and a third achieved the higher standard. Maths was even stronger: 100% at expected and 67% at the higher level, with an average scaled score of 112. Writing was slightly lower, with 87% at expected and 13% at the higher level. The school’s overall ranking score of 87 on the KS2 expected standard metric puts it in the top tier nationally. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 94% of respondents would recommend the school, and 83% strongly agreed that their child is happy there. The school has held an Outstanding rating across both its recent inspections, with the previous one in 2014 also awarding top marks for overall effectiveness and leadership. There is no sign of complacency, though — the data shows strong academic outcomes across the board.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a sports hall, gymnasium, forest school, sensory room and playing fields. Sports on offer include athletics, netball, swimming, cross country, cricket and gymnastics, while clubs include science, gardening and coding. The school has identified SEND provisions for moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, visual impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. Parent views on SEND support were strong: 71% strongly agreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need. With only 1.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the intake is notably less disadvantaged than many schools nationally. Lothersdale is a small, high-performing village primary that suits families who prioritise strong academic outcomes and a full range of enrichment, but oversubscription means securing a place is competitive.

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