Pool-in-Wharfedale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

About Pool-in-Wharfedale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Pool-in-Wharfedale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School sits within the Leeds local authority, where it ranks 73rd out of 204 primary schools on the key stage 2 expected standard measure. That places it comfortably in the top half of its local peers, though a little behind the very highest performers in the area: Harewood Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Shadwell Primary School and Horsforth Featherbank Primary School all sit at the top of the local rankings. The school is a state primary for mixed genders aged 4 to 11, with a Church of England religious character and a current roll of 186 pupils against a capacity of 210. Headteacher Claire Taylor leads a school where 9.1 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, slightly below the national average. In its most recent graded inspection, carried out in 2019, Ofsted rated the school Good overall, and an ungraded inspection in December 2024 noted that some aspects were not as strong, though the overall effectiveness label remained Good.

Academically, the school’s key stage 2 results for 2023/24 show a solid performance. 69 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is above the Leeds local authority average of 61 per cent. In reading, 86 per cent met the expected standard and 24 per cent reached the higher standard, while in maths 79 per cent met the expected standard and 14 per cent achieved the higher level. Average scores were 107 in reading and 105 in maths, both above the national benchmark of 100. Writing saw 79 per cent at the expected standard but no pupils reached the higher standard. Nationally, the school ranks 4,651 out of 13,686 primaries on the combined expected measure, placing it in the top 34 per cent. In Yorkshire and the Humber it ranks 469th out of 1,506, and within Leeds it sits at the 36th percentile. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is not possible to compare how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a library, playing fields, gymnasium, ICT suite, music rooms, art studios and a chapel. Sports on offer include football, athletics, gymnastics and cricket, while clubs extend to art, drama, book club, eco club, choir and chess. For children with special educational needs, the school lists provisions for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, hearing impairment, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. The Parent View survey, based on 77 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, shows 96 per cent of parents would recommend the school. 96 per cent agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy, and 93 per cent felt their child does well. However, only 61 per cent agreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need, and 48 per cent felt concerns are dealt with properly. The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 68 applications for 20 places and 19 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.4. This is a school that suits families who value above-average academic outcomes in a Church of England setting, but parents of children with SEND may want to explore the support on offer more closely.

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