Applefields School, York
Applefields School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in York, part of Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Applefields School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Applefields School are Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School (2.9 miles, Good); Hob Moor Oaks Academy (3.2 miles, Good); and Inspire Academy (3.6 miles).
Lord Gowthorpe's Independent SchoolHob Moor Oaks AcademyInspire Academy
The trust
Applefields School is one of 20 schools run by Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 31 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 90% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 29% to a further education college.
Of the 13 students who left the sixth form in 2021/22, 0% went on to university or other higher education.
Who goes there
39.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 6.2% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Applefields School has an education, health and care plan (225 of 225 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Applefields School has a SEN unit for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 245 places, 245 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Main Entrance, about 2 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Stray Road (opposite), 150 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Applefields School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Applefields School has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in September 2025. Before that, as Applefields School (URN 134727), it was rated Good in March 2015.
At a Glance
39.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SEN unit: SpLD, Vision, Other +9
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 3 nearby schools
Keep up with Applefields School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Applefields School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Applefields School is in York; for families living there:
- York's school travel policy: Home to School Transport Policy - 4 to 16
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 8
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 6 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in York is 12.5 (the median across 74 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
101%
Over capacity
225 pupils
224 places
1 pupil over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - York
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for York
Across York council
Places available
1,977
Applications
1,772
Got 1st preference
93.7%
Got preferred school
98.9%
All secondary applications across York council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
225
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Applefields School has a SEN unit for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 245 places, 245 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
225
Total Pupils
155
Boys
70
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
32
Teachers
7.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,240
Mean salary
2026 data
Absence at Applefields School before it took its current form in 20252024/25
Published under the school's previous registration (URN 134727). There are no figures for it in its current form yet, so these are shown separately.
9.8%
Overall absence
27.5%
Persistent absence
189
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Applefields School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Applefields School
What are GCSE results like at Applefields School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Applefields School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 0.3. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Applefields School's Ofsted rating?
Applefields School has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in September 2025. Before that, as Applefields School (URN 134727), it was rated Good in March 2015.
What is the catchment area for Applefields School?
No fixed boundary. When Applefields School is oversubscribed, York allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Applefields School?
Applefields School has around 225 pupils on roll. 39% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Applefields School have specialist SEN provision?
Applefields School has a SEN unit for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 245 places, 245 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Applefields School?
Apply through York's coordinated admissions process, naming Applefields School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Applefields School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 6 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in York is 12.5 (the median across 74 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Applefields School?
Applefields School is at Bad Bargain Lane, Burnholme, York, North Yorkshire, YO31 0LW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)