Selby High School Specialist School for the Arts and Science
98%
Capacity
1,161
Pupils
2.0x
Demand
About Selby High School Specialist School for the Arts and Science
Selby High School Specialist School for the Arts and Science holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained since its last graded inspection in 2013. The school's most recent ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed it remains Good, with leadership and management also judged Good. The single most informative exam metric is its Progress 8 score of -0.19, which places pupils' academic progress slightly below the national average. This score ranks the school 29th out of 39 secondary schools in North Yorkshire, putting it in the bottom half of the local authority. For context, the average Progress 8 score across North Yorkshire is 0.07, so Selby High's figure is below that benchmark. The Attainment 8 score sits at 43.3, and 64.1% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, though this drops to 43.7% when looking at grade 5 or above.
A closer look at the Progress 8 breakdown shows variation across subjects. Pupils performed closest to the national average in English, with a Progress 8 score of -0.03, while maths and EBacc subjects both came in at -0.22. The open element, covering other qualifications, was the weakest area at -0.34. The EBacc entry rate is 51.1%, meaning just over half of pupils take this combination of core academic subjects, and 28.1% achieve a grade 4 or above in it. The school's overall Progress 8 banding is described as 'Average', which reflects that the score falls within a typical range nationally. Compared with its previous Ofsted inspection in 2011, when the school was rated Requires Improvement, the trajectory has been positive, with the Good rating representing a clear step up in quality.
Selby High is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 with no sixth form, and it is heavily oversubscribed. For the 2025/26 intake, there were 462 applications for 227 places, with 274 first-preference applications and all 227 offers going to first-preference families. The school has a capacity of 1185 and currently houses 1161 pupils, so it is running very close to full. Facilities include tennis courts, an astro turf, a sports hall, science labs, a library, and a dining hall. There is a wide range of clubs, from Art Club and Orchestra to Debate, DofE, and Coding, plus sports such as football, hockey, and gymnastics. The school also lists extensive SEND provisions covering dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. This makes it a practical choice for families seeking a large, inclusive mainstream secondary with strong demand for places.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Leeds Road, Selby, North Yorkshire, YO8 4HT |
| Headteacher | Nicholas Hinchliffe |
| Local Authority | North Yorkshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,161 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 26.0% |
| School Capacity | 1,161 / 1,185 (98% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
5 Oct 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (5 Oct 2023): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 11 Dec 2013. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.19)
1993rd of 3,141
Nationally
183rd of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
29th of 39
In North Yorkshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less 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
2022/232%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 228 pupils).
- FE college80%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Sixth form college4%
- Employment4%
- Not sustained3%
- School sixth form (stay)2%
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
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed227
462
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
274 families put this school as their 1st choice (59% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:10
Source: selby-high.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British81.8%
- White (other)10.8%
- Mixed2.8%
- Asian1.8%
- Black0.2%
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.
9
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
7
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 Selby High School Specialist School for the Arts and Science
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
Leeds Road, Selby
North Yorkshire, YO8 4HT
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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