Best Primary Schools in North Yorkshire 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 291 schools across North Yorkshire. Updated with 2025–26 data.

How many schools?
291
Open primary schools in North Yorkshire
Closed schools excluded
Inspection picture
259 Good or better
of 289 with a historic Ofsted grade
Historic single-word grades · pre-Nov-2025
How is this list ordered?
SNM score
Roecliffe CofE Primary School currently leads
Methodology

North Yorkshire has 291 open primary schools. Of the 289 with a published Ofsted inspection, 18 (6%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 90% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, Roecliffe CofE Primary School currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in North Yorkshire follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. Roecliffe CofE Primary School
Primary
 Good 100 View school
2. Outwood Primary Academy Alne
Primary
 Outstanding 94 View school
3. South Kilvington Church of England Academy
Primary
 Requires Improvement 92 View school
4. Ainderby Steeple Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Requires Improvement 92 View school
5. Askwith Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 91 View school
6. Thornton in Craven Community Primary School
Primary
 Good 91 View school
7. Oakridge Community Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 89 View school
8. Dishforth Airfield Community Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 89 View school
9. West Burton Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Good 88 View school
10. Gunnerside Methodist Primary School
Primary
 Good 88 View school
11. Markington Church of England Primary & Nursery School
Primary
 Good 88 View school
12. Saxton Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Good 88 View school
13. Osmotherley Primary School
Primary
 Good 88 View school
14. Leeming and Londonderry Community Primary School
Primary
 Good 87 View school
15. Ripley Endowed Church of England School
Primary
 Good 87 View school
16. Linton-on-Ouse Primary School
Primary
 Good 87 View school
17. Middleton Tyas Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Good 87 View school
18. Lealholm Primary School
Primary
 Good 87 View school
19. Melsonby Methodist Primary School
Primary
 Good 86 View school
20. Birstwith Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Good 86 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for North Yorkshire

Best primary schools in North YorkshireTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in North YorkshireTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in North YorkshirePrimary & secondary combined Secondary schools in North YorkshireYear 7 onwards How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in YorkCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in LeedsCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in BradfordCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in DarlingtonCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in North Yorkshire

Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

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Frequently asked questions

How many primary schools are there in North Yorkshire?
There are 291 open primary schools in North Yorkshire (closed schools are excluded). 18 of the 289 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated primary schools in North Yorkshire?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked primary school in North Yorkshire is Roecliffe CofE Primary School. The full ranked table above lists the top 20 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in North Yorkshire?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in North Yorkshire?
Primary and secondary applications in North Yorkshire are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the North Yorkshire council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.