King James's School
Knaresborough, HG5 8EB · North Yorkshire · secondary school
Check the area around this school
21st of 41 secondary schools in North Yorkshire we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 876 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 4.0/10 among them, against 5.1/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 48.8 · 60 | 30% | 1.79 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.15 · 38 | 25% | 0.96 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 47.4 · 57 | 10% | 0.57 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
King James's School overview
How it's doing
The school is rated Good by Ofsted (inspected 2023-03). In 2024/25, 41.3% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 46.1, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.15 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 2.5 out of 10 among them, against 4.3 out of 10 nationally.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils participate in life drawing, House Drama, and Pageturners Competitions. Sports include Cross Country, House Football, House Netball, House Rugby, House Softball/Rounders, and Sports Day. Trips visit London, Liverpool, Paris, Amsterdam, Venice, Rome, Barcelona, and New York.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,554 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,705. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to improve their Progress 8 scores? What specific support is available for students aiming to raise their Attainment 8?
What Ofsted said about King James's School
Overview
King James’s School is confirmed as a ‘good school’, described as a ‘caring environment where pupils learn well’. The report highlights that pupils feel ‘safe and supported’ within a community that strongly reinforces values of being ‘ready, respectful, engaged’.
Strengths
- Staff possess ‘excellent subject knowledge’ and use careful planning to ensure core knowledge is revisited, helping pupils remember their learning.
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are ‘extremely well supported’, with leaders being ‘ambitious’ for their progress.
- Sixth-form students ‘flourish’ due to a broad range of subjects and ‘highly effective’ pastoral support.
- The curriculum for personal, social and health education is ‘well planned’, helping pupils develop a ‘strong sense of fairness’ and respect for others.
- Governors are ‘deeply committed’, regularly visiting the school to offer ‘appropriate challenge and support’ to leaders.
Areas to improve
- Leaders should streamline the programme for early readers by ‘consolidating pupils’ phonic knowledge’ and improving fluency through frequent practice, as current interventions are not effective enough.
- Leaders should develop the careers offer to provide pupils with ‘sufficient opportunities to engage meaningfully with the world of work’ and raise aspirations further.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are ‘effective’, with staff reporting concerns quickly and leaders working ‘proactively’ with external agencies to keep pupils safe.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 46.1 |
| 2024/25 | 46.1 |
| 2025/26 | 47.4 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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