Ryedale School
97%
Capacity
704
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Ryedale School
Ryedale School was rated Outstanding in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, a grade it has held consistently across both its graded inspections. The school’s Progress 8 score of 0.32 is the most telling academic metric here: it means pupils achieve nearly a third of a grade more per subject than the national average. That places Ryedale well above the North Yorkshire local authority average of 0.07, and ranks it 13th out of 39 secondary schools in the county. The school’s Attainment 8 score of 51 also points to strong overall performance, with 71.3% of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in both English and maths. The Progress 8 banding is described as “Above average”, and the school sits in the top 50 nationally for this measure. It’s a school that clearly adds value, particularly in the EBacc subjects, where the Progress 8 score jumps to 0.63.
The Ofsted report awarded Outstanding across every category: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. That’s a clean sweep. The school has 704 pupils on roll, just under its capacity of 723, and 16.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals. The EBacc entry rate is high at 72.7%, though only 23.8% of pupils achieved the EBacc at grade 4 or above. The school is oversubscribed: for 137 places in 2025/26, there were 246 applications, with 132 offers going to first-preference families. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 1.8, so it’s a popular choice locally.
Ryedale is an 11-16 school with no sixth form, so families will need to plan for post-16 options elsewhere. Facilities include a swimming pool, theatre, tennis courts, playing fields, and a chapel. The school offers a wide range of sports from rowing to martial arts, and clubs include coding, eco club, and drama. SEND provision covers specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulty, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language needs, visual impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. For families in North Yorkshire who want a high-performing, oversubscribed secondary with strong academic value-add and a broad extracurricular offer, Ryedale School is a compelling option.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Gale Lane, York, North Yorkshire, YO62 7SL |
| Headteacher | Domenica Wilkinson |
| Local Authority | North Yorkshire |
| Number of Pupils | 704 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 16.8% |
| School Capacity | 704 / 723 (97% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
4 Oct 2023Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Source: Ofsted, 20 Nov 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.32)
806th of 3,141
Nationally
68th of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
13th of 39
In North Yorkshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2324%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 139 pupils).
- FE college45%
- School sixth form (stay)24%
- Employment9%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Sixth form college3%
- Not sustained3%
96% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed137
246
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
133 families put this school as their 1st choice (54% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 15:40
Source: ryedale-rlt.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British85.8%
- White (other)4.8%
- Mixed2.4%
- Asian0.2%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Ryedale School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Gale Lane, York
North Yorkshire, YO62 7SL
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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