Foston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Foston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is a small village primary where pupils are happy, polite and well prepared for the next stage of their education. Inspectors found strong provision across the curriculum, behaviour, personal development and leadership, with early years standing out as exceptionally well planned and resourced. Reading is a particular strength: children get off to a flying start in phonics, support for pupils who struggle is swift, and books are well matched to pupils’ needs. Pupils with SEND are well supported and achieve well, attendance is extremely positive, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. The school has an accurate view of its own strengths and areas for improvement, and governors work closely with leaders. Parents value the nurturing community ethos, and staff workload and well-being are carefully considered. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is significantly smaller than the average-sized primary school, sharing its governing body with two other schools. The main area for improvement is that, in some subjects, teachers do not always identify and resolve pupils’ misconceptions promptly, which can leave gaps in knowledge and understanding. Overall, however, the school is performing well and provides a strong start to education for its pupils.

Strengths

• Early years provision is exceptionally well planned and resourced, preparing children very well for Year 1.
• The teaching of reading and phonics is a major strength, with swift support for pupils who find reading difficult.
• The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.
• Pupils with SEND receive carefully adapted support and achieve well alongside their peers.
• Behaviour is calm and orderly, with excellent manners and positive attitudes to learning.
• Attendance is extremely positive because of rigorous monitoring and timely action.
• Personal development is strong, including online safety and citizenship opportunities.
• The sporting offer, including for pupils with SEND, is a particular strength.
• Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement.
• Governors work closely with the school to support continuous improvement.
• Staff workload and well-being are carefully considered.
• Parents highly value the supportive and nurturing school community.

Areas for Improvement

• In some subjects, teachers do not identify and resolve pupils’ misconceptions promptly, so gaps in knowledge and understanding can persist.

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 Foston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School attended 96.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.3% 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 Foston Church of England Voluntary Controlled 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 Foston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School had 40.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 54.5% 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, 12.1% of pupils at Foston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.7% 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.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in York (North Yorkshire) · North Yorkshire local authority: places and applications

What is Foston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Foston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is Good, from an inspection in December 2024.

When was Foston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Foston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School was last inspected in December 2024.

How many pupils does Foston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School have?

Foston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School has 58 pupils on roll.

What age range does Foston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School cover?

Foston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Foston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 43% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Foston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School?

Foston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is at Main Street, Foston, York, North Yorkshire, YO60 7QB.