Ralph Thoresby School

Ralph Thoresby School is performing well, maintaining its status as a good school since its last inspection in 2018. The school prides itself on its inclusivity, offering a broad curriculum that supports the diverse needs of its students, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The atmosphere in classrooms is calm, with pupils showing positive behaviour and strong engagement in their learning. However, challenges with behaviour during social times indicate a need for additional measures to ensure consistency in student conduct across all school activities.

Strengths

• Inclusive nature of the school community
• Wide variety of enrichment opportunities available to pupils
• High expectations and effective behaviour management in lessons
• Carefully considered curriculum enables secure knowledge building
• Effective questioning techniques used by many teachers
• Supportive measures for pupils in early reading stages
• Range of extra-curricular activities enhancing pupils' leadership skills
• Strong parental engagement through coaching initiatives
• Support for staff well-being recognized as a priority

Areas for Improvement

• Pupils' behaviour during social times is inconsistent and causes concern
• Variation in teachers' assessment practices leading to gaps in knowledge retention

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Ralph Thoresby School attended 88.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 32.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 4.8% of pupils at Ralph Thoresby School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Ralph Thoresby School had 16.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 18.2% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 13.8% of pupils at Ralph Thoresby School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.3% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

The school has resourced provision with 7 pupils.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Ralph Thoresby School received £8,940 and spent £9,217 for each of its 992 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £301,000 (-£303 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Leeds · Leeds local authority: places and applications

Ralph Thoresby School is part of The Leeds North West Education Partnership Foundation, which runs 4 schools. The nearest others:

• Ireland Wood Primary School Leeds
• Cookridge Primary School Leeds
• Iveson Primary School Leeds

What is Ralph Thoresby School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ralph Thoresby School is Good, from an inspection in December 2023.

When was Ralph Thoresby School last inspected by Ofsted?

Ralph Thoresby School was last inspected in December 2023.

How many pupils does Ralph Thoresby School have?

Ralph Thoresby School has 987 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ralph Thoresby School cover?

Ralph Thoresby School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Ralph Thoresby School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 43.8, and 38% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Ralph Thoresby School?

Ralph Thoresby School is at Holtdale Approach, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS16 7RX.