Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service, Northallerton
Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service is a pru school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Northallerton. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service in detail
Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service in its own words
In its own words: "At Sunbeck, we believe that every young person deserves to feel that they belong, to be treated with dignity and to have the opportunity to succeed. We provide a calm, purposeful and ambitious environment where young people can develop positive relationships, rebuild confidence and engage successfully in learning."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Sunbeck is a place where young people are known, valued and given the opportunity to succeed. We are a small, specialist setting serving young people from across North Yorkshire."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
47.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 7 pupils (30.4%) received SEN support and 13 (56.5%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Northallerton Rail Station, about 1060 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Friarage Hospital (w-bound), 150 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 117 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in North Yorkshire (9), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: 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
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from October 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school creates a warm, supportive environment where pupils thrive in small classes with dedicated staff who know them well. It offers a broad curriculum that motivates pupils through links to sports like boxing and outdoor education, while helping them develop ambitious career aspirations. The school is actively strengthening reading provision and has effective systems for identifying pupils' additional needs.
Key Strengths
- Warm, welcoming environment where pupils feel happy and safe with small class sizes and close staff support
- Broad curriculum with effective identification of pupils' additional needs, including SEND
- Strong focus on reading with recent investment in high-quality texts and phonics programmes
- Pupils developing ambitious career aspirations through teaching on healthy relationships, online safety and careers
- Community engagement through activities like tending public gardens and helping at local allotments
Areas for Improvement
- Curriculum not consistently planned with clear core knowledge in all subjects, affecting depth of learning
- Teaching adaptations do not consistently match pupils' complex needs, slowing progress through the curriculum
- Staff do not reliably follow individual learning and EHC plans, limiting targeted support
- Behaviour management inconsistent across staff, with poor behaviour sometimes not addressed effectively
- Persistent absence rates remain too high, causing pupils to miss valuable learning opportunities
- Some pupils lack understanding of British values, different faiths and protected characteristics
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with leaders prioritising pupils' interests and maintaining an open and positive culture around safeguarding.
Extracurricular Activities
Boxing, outdoor education, football, community gardening and allotment work
Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service is undergoing a period of change with new leadership committed to helping pupils prepare for mainstream education or further opportunities. However, the school currently requires improvement across all key areas, with pupils not achieving as well as they could.
At a Glance
47.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Keep up with Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service is in North Yorkshire; for families living there:
Apply to North Yorkshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 37
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 37 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 30 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 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 North Yorkshire is 3 (the median across 382 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
135%
Over capacity
23 pupils
17 places
6 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Northallerton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Northallerton
Across North Yorkshire council
Places available
7,086
Applications
5,586
Got 1st preference
91.9%
Got preferred school
98.8%
All secondary applications across North Yorkshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
7
SEN Support
13
EHC Plans
87.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
23
Total Pupils
15
Boys
8
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
2.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,317
Mean salary
2026 data
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service
Questions parents ask about Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service
What is Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service's Ofsted rating?
Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service?
No fixed boundary. When Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service is oversubscribed, North Yorkshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service?
Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service has around 23 pupils on roll. 48% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service?
Apply through North Yorkshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service 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 Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 37 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 30 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 North Yorkshire is 3 (the median across 382 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service?
Hambleton/Richmondshire Pupil Referral Service is at East Road, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL6 1SZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)