Wensleydale School, Leyburn

Ofsted's report card from its 12 May 2026 inspection grades Wensleydale School on 6 areas: 1 strong standard and 5 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Inclusion threads through all aspects of Wensleydale School and is a key strength of the school."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Overall, pupils achieve well."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders have an informed and accurate understanding of attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders are reflective."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders are committed to providing an effective education for the wide and varied community that the school serves."

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

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should strengthen the personal development curriculum so that all pupils consistently understand the importance of using respectful language"; "Leaders should ensure that highly effective teaching is embedded across subjects and year groups"; "Leaders should ensure that pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, consistently achieve well, develop detailed knowledge and skills and produce high-quality work across all subjects".

In its own words: "To do this, we make sure that our young people feel part of our safe and caring community and challenge them to grasp every opportunity that their education offers. They can then leave us with the strongest possible set of exam results, outstanding inter-personal skills and a real understanding about where their passions and talents lie."

From the headteacher's welcome: "We believe that the purpose of our school is to help all of our students achieve their dreams. The school is a gateway to the world, preparing our young people to be highly successful citizens, and all of us who work in the school are committed to making this happen."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, basketball, drama, choir, guitar, chess, Lego, cooking, knitting and photography.

In 2026, pupils at Wensleydale School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 47.2 in North Yorkshire and 47 across England.

28% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 48% in North Yorkshire and 47% in England.

That is down from 41.5 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.08: pupils made about average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 17 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Geography, Combined Science and Business Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 77 families put Wensleydale School as their first choice and 184 named it as one of their preferences, for 83 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

Of the 71 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 73% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 41% to a further education college, 10% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

Of the 6 students who left the sixth form in 2022/23, 33% went on to university or other higher education and 50% into work.

1.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 46 pupils (11.3%) received SEN support and 38 (9.3%) 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.

Wensleydale School has a resourced provision for autism: 8 places, 8 pupils on roll.

Wensleydale School had 30 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest tram or metro stop is Leyburn (Wensleydale Railway), about 600 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Wenslydale School (ne-bound), 200 metres away.

In 2024/25, Wensleydale School issued 105 suspensions, 27.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Wensleydale School are Leyburn Primary School (0.2 miles) and Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School (1.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.