St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy, Knaresborough
St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Knaresborough, part of The Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 7 schools in Knaresborough with published results, and 6,288th of 14,452 across England. It was 93% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to North Yorkshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy in detail
Results
In 2025, 84% of Year 6 pupils at St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 74% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 73% in North Yorkshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 65% in reading and 65% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy
For September 2026 entry, 25 families put St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy as their first choice and 75 named it as one of their preferences, for 27 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy are Knaresborough St John's Church of England Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 80% reading, 78% maths); Meadowside Academy (0.5 miles, Good, 81% reading, 74% maths); Aspin Park Academy (1 mile, Good, 75% reading, 77% maths); and Starbeck Primary Academy (1.3 miles, Good, 66% reading, 41% maths).
St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Knaresborough St John's Church of England Primary SchoolMeadowside AcademyAspin Park AcademyStarbeck Primary Academy
The trust
St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy is one of 16 schools run by The Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
51 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Knaresborough Rail Station, about 500 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is High Bond End (nw-bound), 200 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 44 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in North Yorkshire (9), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy issued 1 suspension, 0.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from November 2019, 6 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
Early Years
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Mary's creates a welcoming community where children are happy, feel safe and try hard in their learning. The school has excellent reading provision and strong support for all learners, including those with additional needs. Teachers have high expectations and use expert teaching to help pupils build deep knowledge across the curriculum.
Key Strengths
- Pupils behave very well and feel safe, with warm relationships between staff and students
- Well-organised curriculum where pupils build on prior learning with strong subject knowledge teaching
- Reading is a high priority with excellent phonics teaching and library provision
- Provision for pupils with SEND is a strength with well-trained staff and carefully planned adaptations
- Pupils develop responsibility, respect and active citizenship through values-based learning
Areas for Improvement
- The school lacks an effective strategy to help pupils who have fallen behind with writing, resulting in some pupils struggling with writing tasks that are too difficult for them
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with leaders committed to putting pupils' interests at the heart of every decision.
Extracurricular Activities
After-school clubs, trips and visitors, school councillors, play leaders, Year 6 buddies, mini Vinnies community helpers, paired reading sessions, World Book Day events, breakfast club
St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough is a welcoming Catholic academy where pupils flourish and form warm relationships with staff and each other. The school has maintained good standards with effective teaching, strong reading provision, and exceptional personal development opportunities.
At a Glance
18.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
51 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 65% to 84% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 65% to 74% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 69% to 74% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.7
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
29.5
KS2
6
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy 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
- 13
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 10 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
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
Your chances of a place at St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy
Will you get a place at St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy? Get the admissions report
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What the report includes for St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from North Yorkshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy for 2016 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in North Yorkshire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
93%
Near capacity
196 pupils
210 places
14 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Knaresborough
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Knaresborough
Across North Yorkshire council
Places available
7,127
Applications
5,052
Got 1st preference
95.6%
Got preferred school
98.8%
All primary applications across North Yorkshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(4)
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
30
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
19.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
193
Total Pupils
98
Boys
95
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
17.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,375
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,242
Per pupil
£1113k
Total funding
£48k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.2%
Overall absence
9.4%
Persistent absence
170
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy
Questions parents ask about St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy
What are SATs results like at St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy?
Of the pupils at St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 84% reached the expected standard in reading and 74% did so in maths.
What is St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy's Ofsted rating?
St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy?
No fixed boundary. When St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy is oversubscribed, North Yorkshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy?
St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 93% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy?
Classes at St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy average 29.7 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy?
St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy has around 193 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy?
4.2% of sessions were missed at St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy in 2024/25. 9.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy?
Apply through North Yorkshire's coordinated admissions process, naming St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 10 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 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 St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy?
St Mary's Primary School Knaresborough, A Voluntary Catholic Academy is at Tentergate Road, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, HG5 9BG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)