School Chooser

Ryecroft Academy

Primary · ages 4-11MixedAcademy350 pupilsNurseryLeeds
School Chooser Score
59
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 37 to 78
Out of 100. Better than 78% of the 50 schools most like it. Getting better year on year.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, March 2025
Reached the expected level at 1149%England 63%
Attendance94.5%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families41%Far more than most schools
Places10 spare350 pupils, 360 places
Pupils per teacher19.9School workforce census

Ryecroft Academy is a sponsored academy in Leeds for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 350 pupils and room for 360. About 41 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 59 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 78% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.

Ryecroft Academy, Stonebridge Grove, Leeds, LS12 5AW0113 733 0129ryecroft.leeds.sch.ukMrs Helen Townsley headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 18 March 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Outstanding
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Outstanding
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Outstanding
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Outstanding
Early years
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

43 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1149%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score104.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score103.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 32%32%20172018: 47%47%20182019: 51%51%20192023: 34%34%20232024: 49%49%20242025: 49%49%2025
Since 2017: +17%Improving overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017LeedsEngland
Pupils tested434535433434
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths49%49%34%51%47%32%64%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%9%6%9%6%0%9%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score104.0104.099.0101.0101.096.0105.5105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score103.0102.0100.0103.0101.097.0104.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score104.0105.0101.0101.0102.098.0105.5105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard65%62%40%56%59%47%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard67%64%54%63%59%32%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)56%58%57%72%71%53%
Reading progressReading progress score-2.5+0.2-1.7-5.0
Maths progressMaths progress score-1.2+0.8-1.3-3.9
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged31%28%20%45%30%25%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged76%75%53%64%71%67%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 1 of the 4 gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
31%76%
Gap 45 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
61%40%
Gap 21 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
82%49%
Gap 33 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%0%
No gapEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Plenty of spare places312 pupils for 420 places, 2024/25
74% full

108 places were empty (26% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Leeds council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll350Census January 2026
Places36097% full
Pupils from low-income families42%41% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English16%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support23%82 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan1%2 pupils with a plan
Average class size28.312 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils17%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)43%£206,150 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls174 / 176
White British pupils69%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 26.6 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 29.8 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (38), Autistic spectrum disorder (14), Moderate learning difficulty (13), emotional and mental health (12), Specific learning difficulty (3), Physical disability (2).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll350331341339347350
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals42%45%45%44%43%43%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language16%18%12%11%11%11%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support26%27%24%25%22%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans0%0%1%0%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance94.5%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school16.4%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils1.22024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission2.6%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence5.5%6.4%7.1%7.2%3.9%4.6%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence2.9%2.9%3.3%4.5%2.1%3.0%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.6%3.4%3.8%2.8%1.7%1.7%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence16.4%19.5%22.9%24.5%10.5%12.6%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate1.21.53.86.66.6
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers17.2full-time equivalent, 19 people
Pupils per teacher19.9Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants10.0full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£47,886
Teachers who left in the year14%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher1.32024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£8,031England £7,128. Total £2.6m
Income per pupil£7,491England £7,587. Total £2.4m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,733England £3,405
Money in reserve9%A healthy amount put by: £209k, £640 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out-£176kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£8,031spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m86312 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate185 per 1,000 people104% higher than the England average
Typical house price£245,000Leeds
Nearest bus stop170 mRing Rd Tong Road, 28 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Lawns Park Primary SchoolCouncil640 m233Good 202018Compare
Greenhill Primary SchoolCouncil920 m353No overall grade 202424Compare
Whingate Primary SchoolCouncil0.7 miles464Good 202320Compare
Cobden Primary SchoolAcademy0.7 milesNot inspectedCompare
Park Spring Primary SchoolCouncil0.9 miles355Report card 20264Compare
Lower Wortley Primary SchoolCouncil1.0 miles331No overall grade 202423Compare
Christ The King Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary AcademyAcademy1.0 miles166Report card 202690Compare
Christ Church Upper Armley Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy1.1 miles192Good 202320Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Ryecroft Academy with the 49 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats78%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the top quarter of its group. Its score of 59 is 25 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 0 · middle 34 · highest 96100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 59 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 59% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 37 to 78. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%below
-0.18
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 43 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%well above
+0.43
Ofsted grade, 1.5 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.13
DfE progress measure; 43 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.10
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.04
2024/25; 275 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.07
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 43 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Ryecroft Academy a good school?

It is about average. Ryecroft Academy scores 59 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 78% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 37 to 78, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.

What is Ryecroft Academy's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Ryecroft Academy not judged at its last full inspection on 18 March 2025.

How good are Ryecroft Academy's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 49% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Ryecroft Academy have?

350 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 360 places, so it is 97% full.

Is Ryecroft Academy oversubscribed?

Probably not. 108 places were empty in 2024/25 (26% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Ryecroft Academy?

Pupils were in school 94.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 16% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Ryecroft Academy?

The average class had 28.3 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 17% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Ryecroft Academy, Stonebridge Grove, Leeds, LS12 5AW
Telephone
0113 733 0129
Website
www.ryecroft.leeds.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Helen Townsley
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
The GORSE Academies Trust (15 schools)
Local authority
Leeds
Ward
Farnley & Wortley
Constituency
Leeds South West and Morley
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 May 2014 (new provision)
URN
140824 · LAESTAB 3832016 · UKPRN 10045887
Formerly
Ryecroft Primary School

Where these figures come from