Vale of York Academy

About Vale of York Academy

If you're a parent considering Vale of York Academy, the most recent parent survey offers a mixed but revealing picture. Of the 60 families who responded to the official Parent View questionnaire between September 2024 and September 2025, 72% said they would recommend the school. That's a solid majority, though it leaves over a quarter of respondents who wouldn't. The school is also oversubscribed: for 143 places in the 2025/26 intake, there were 187 applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.31, and all 131 first-preference applicants were offered a place. On specific questions, the strongest signals came from activities and safety: 96% of parents agreed or strongly agreed their child could take part in clubs and activities, and 87% felt their child was safe. However, communication is a clear weak spot — only 37% agreed the school made them aware of what their child would learn, and 53% disagreed. Similarly, just 45% felt concerns were dealt with properly, suggesting the school's relationship with some families could be improved.

Academically, Vale of York Academy sits in the middle of the pack nationally but towards the bottom within York. Its Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year was -0.06, which is classified as 'Average' and places it 7th out of 8 secondary schools in the local authority. For context, the York local authority average Progress 8 score is 0.22, so pupils here make slightly less progress than the typical student in the area. The Attainment 8 score is 43.7, and 47.6% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The school's most recent graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2019, rated it Good overall, with Good marks for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. A subsequent ungraded inspection in February 2025 confirmed that standards were being maintained. This is a significant improvement from its previous inspection in 2015, when it was rated Inadequate.

The school offers a wide range of facilities for an 11-16 state school, including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, and tennis courts, plus clubs from coding to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. It has identified SEND provisions for five areas, including autistic spectrum disorder and social, emotional and mental health needs, though the parent survey on SEND support was split: 53% agreed or strongly agreed the school gives SEND children the support they need, while 34% disagreed or strongly disagreed. With 23.5% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a more disadvantaged intake than many in York. Vale of York Academy is a good fit for families who want a secondary with strong extracurricular offerings and a clear improvement trajectory, but who are prepared to be proactive about communication with the school. It's not a sixth-form option, so you'll need to plan for post-16 elsewhere.

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