Yealand Church of England Primary School

Yealand Church of England Primary School is a small, welcoming village school where pupils feel safe, valued and behave well. The school's strong culture of safeguarding is met, and attendance, behaviour, inclusion, leadership, and personal development are all at the expected standard. Pupils benefit from a rich personal development programme, positive relationships, and a wide range of enriching experiences and clubs. The school has established an ambitious curriculum and provides effective support for pupils with SEND, who generally progress well and learn successfully alongside their peers. Leaders have made positive changes to the school's vision, improved behaviour systems, and prioritised staff professional development, leading to high morale. Governors are knowledgeable and carry out their duties diligently, and partnerships with the diocese, local authority, and other schools are strong. However, some aspects of provision require improvement. Achievement is at the 'needs attention' category because some pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, do not acquire secure basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics. The teaching of phonics is not consistently effective, and in some subjects the curriculum is not implemented as intended, leading to gaps in foundational knowledge. Early years provision also needs attention as priority is not always given to teaching basic skills such as pencil grip, letter formation and early reading, meaning some children are not as well prepared as they could be for the next stage of their education. While leaders recognise these weaknesses and have begun to address them, it is too early to see the full impact of their actions.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe, valued and behave well, with rare bullying and effective staff support.
• Strong culture of safeguarding with all legal requirements met.
• Inclusive environment where pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils are well supported and learn alongside peers.
• Positive culture for attendance and punctuality, with most pupils attending well.
• Personal development and wellbeing are prioritised, with effective PSHE and targeted support.
• Pupils develop a clear understanding of fundamental British values, diversity and equality.
• A wide range of enriching clubs and activities, including skiing, ballet, tennis and coding.
• Knowledgeable and experienced governors carry out statutory duties diligently and consider staff wellbeing.
• Staff morale is high; staff are proud to work at the school and value being part of the team.
• Partnerships with the diocese, local authority and local schools are mutually beneficial.
• Leaders accurately identify academic and social needs and allocate funding effectively.
• Pupils with SEND generally progress well through the curriculum and learn successfully alongside their peers.
• Pupils enjoy learning, demonstrate resilience, and work with increasing independence.
• The early years curriculum is well organised from Nursery to Reception, with positive staff interactions and focus on oracy.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, do not gain basic skills in number and letter formation and phonics for fluent reading and spelling.
• Teaching of phonics is not consistently effective, so some pupils do not develop secure reading foundations quickly enough.
• In some subjects, the agreed curriculum is not implemented as intended, leading to gaps in pupils' foundational knowledge and understanding.
• Basic skills such as correct pencil grip and letter formation are not consistently prioritised, limiting fluent and accurate written work.
• Early years provision does not sufficiently prioritise basic skills in reading, writing and number work, so children are not as well prepared as they could be.
• Teaching quality still varies across some subjects because checks on curriculum delivery have only recently started.
• Pupils' achievement in reading, writing and mathematics combined is below the national average (23% vs 61% over three years), though data is affected by small cohorts.

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 Yealand Church of England Primary School attended 95.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

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, 0.0% of pupils at Yealand Church of England Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). 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 Yealand Church of England Primary School had 11.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 38.5% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

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, 3.1% of pupils at Yealand Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

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 primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Yealand Church of England Primary School received £12,916 and spent £12,930 for each of its 32 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £66,000 (£2,061 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 Carnforth · Lancashire local authority: places and applications

What is Yealand Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Yealand Church of England Primary School is Needs attention, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Yealand Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Yealand Church of England Primary School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Yealand Church of England Primary School have?

Yealand Church of England Primary School has 32 pupils on roll.

What age range does Yealand Church of England Primary School cover?

Yealand Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

Where is Yealand Church of England Primary School?

Yealand Church of England Primary School is at Footeran Lane, Yealand Redmayne, Carnforth, Lancashire, LA5 9SU.