Yearsley Grove Primary School

About Yearsley Grove Primary School

Yearsley Grove Primary School in York is a mixed state primary for ages 3 to 11, currently home to 379 pupils against a capacity of 399, so it is running close to full. Its intake reflects a higher-than-average level of disadvantage for the area: 23.4 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared with the national primary average of around 24 per cent, which places it above the York local authority norm. Demand is strong — for the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 74 applications for 46 places, making it officially oversubscribed. Of those, 43 were first-preference applications, and the school made 43 first-preference offers, meaning every family who put it first got a place. The oversubscription ratio of 1.61 applicants per place signals a solid local reputation, though it is not among the most competitive primaries in York. Headteacher Vicki Kerr leads a school that is non-religious in character and offers nursery provision, which will appeal to families looking for continuity from early years through to Year 6.

Academically, Yearsley Grove holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across both its most recent inspections — the latest full graded inspection took place in November 2022, with the previous one in 2013. All five inspected categories, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, early years provision, and leadership and management, were judged Good. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 61 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is just one percentage point below the York local authority average of 62 per cent. The school’s average scaled scores were 106 in reading and 103 in maths, both slightly above the national benchmark of 100. However, the proportion reaching the higher standard in all three subjects was just 6 per cent, and in writing it was 7 per cent, suggesting that while most children meet expectations, stretch to the top levels is less common. Nationally, the school ranks in the bottom half for its combined expected standard score, sitting at the 55th percentile.

The school is well equipped with facilities including a sports hall, gymnasium, ICT suite, art studios, and a dining hall, plus a chapel on site. Sports provision covers swimming, tennis, netball, rounders, cricket, football and athletics, and there is a broad range of clubs from drama and choir to chess, coding, art and science. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists SEND support for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech, language and communication needs, social and emotional mental health, hearing impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. Oversubscription means families living closest to the school will have the best chance of a place, and the fact that all first-preference applicants were offered a spot in the most recent round suggests the catchment is not impossibly tight. This is a solid, well-regarded local primary that suits families who value a broad curriculum and inclusive support over headline-grabbing academic results.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Yearsley Grove Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents