Nidderdale High School, Harrogate

Ofsted's report card from its 28 April 2026 inspection grades Nidderdale High School on 6 areas: 5 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders' focus on ensuring pupils experience a sense of belonging underpins their work on attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders ensure there is a broad and appropriate curriculum in place."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders know pupils well."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders including trustees and governors understand the school's context and its strengths."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have established a well-designed programme for pupils' personal development."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils generally make clear progress from their starting points."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that pupils develop secure foundational knowledge and skills, particularly in reading and writing, so that the quality of their work improves and they achieve consistently well"; "Leaders should ensure that teaching consistently meets pupils' needs, including through effective checks on learning and clear guidance on how pupils should improve their work"; "Leaders should ensure that staff apply the school's behaviour expectations consistently, so that learning is not disrupted and a calm environment continues to be maintained throughout the school day".

From the headteacher's welcome: "Nidderdale High School is a thriving and unique 11-16 comprehensive school set in the rural location of Pateley Bridge, an area of outstanding natural beauty. The ethos of our school is a clear one: to enable our students to thrive and progress, our motto being ‘Achievement for All’."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, rugby and Duke of Edinburgh.

In 2026, pupils at Nidderdale High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 39.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 47.2 in North Yorkshire and 47 across England.

23% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 48% in North Yorkshire and 47% in England.

That is down from 41.8 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.15: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 33.9, against 40.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 6.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 20 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Geography and Art and Design.

For September 2026 entry, 51 families put Nidderdale High School as their first choice and 133 named it as one of their preferences, for 70 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

Nidderdale High School is one of 10 schools run by Moorlands Learning Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 79 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 77% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 48% to a further education college, 8% to an apprenticeship and 8% into work.

0.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 80 pupils (19.8%) received SEN support and 36 (8.9%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is autism.

Nidderdale High School had 31 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Nidderdale High School.

1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is Nidderdale High School (n-bound), 30 metres away.

In 2024/25, Nidderdale High School issued 63 suspensions, 15.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Nidderdale High School are St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School, Pateley Bridge (0.5 miles); and Glasshouses Community Primary School (1.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.