Pool-in-Wharfedale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Otley, LS21 1LG · Leeds · primary school
Check the area around this school
93rd of 211 primary schools in Leeds we can score, 221 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 3,869 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 4.2/10 among them, against 5.7/10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expected standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 67.0 · 57 | 40% | 2.28 |
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.82 |
| Higher standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 8.0 · 57 | 25% | 1.43 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Pool-in-Wharfedale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 67.0% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths, compared to the national median of 64%. The higher standard was reached by 8.0% of pupils, against a national median of 7%. Ofsted rated the school Good in January 2025. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 4.2 out of 10 among them, against 5.7 out of 10 nationally.
Beyond the classroom
The school provides both a breakfast club and an after-school club.
Getting in
The published school roll is 168 pupils against a stated capacity of 210. 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 progress from the expected standard to the higher standard? What specific activities are available within the breakfast and after-school clubs? How does the school monitor progress for pupils in the lower quartile of the similar-intake comparison?
What Ofsted said about Pool-in-Wharfedale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Overview
This ungraded inspection found that aspects of the school’s work “may not be as strong as at the time of the previous inspection,” triggering a future graded inspection. While pupils are happy in a “welcoming school” with “warm and respectful” relationships, the school’s aspirational vision is “not being fully realised across all subjects.”
Strengths
- Reading is a clear priority, with staff confidently teaching phonics using a “sequenced programme” that helps pupils achieve well.
- Mathematics teaching is effective, with lessons designed to “build sequentially on what pupils already know” and clear vocabulary use.
- Pupils enjoy school, with attendance “improving rapidly” and high engagement in clubs and leadership roles like ‘pool pals’.
- Safeguarding arrangements are “effective,” and the school is successfully rebuilding positive relationships with parents.
Areas to improve
- The curriculum in wider subjects lacks clear mapping of important knowledge, and the school does not “check consistently enough what pupils have understood.”
- Teaching for some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is not well adapted, meaning they “do not achieve as well as they could.”
- Foundational skills in letter and number formation are not taught to “consistent effect,” with errors not consistently addressed.
- Pupils lack a “secure understanding of different world faiths or fundamental British values,” leaving them less prepared for life in modern Britain.
Safeguarding
The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”
Results over time
Expected standard (reading, writing, maths), the years we hold.
| Year | Expected standard (reading, writing, maths) |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 59% |
| 2023/24 | 69% |
| 2024/25 | 67% |
| England | 64% |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 14,326 state schools in England we hold a 2024/25 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
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2027
- Primary National Offer Day16 Apr 2027
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2028
- Primary National Offer Day17 Apr 2028
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