Lythe Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Lythe Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is a close-knit, nurturing primary where pupils are happy, safe and proud of their school. Inspectors found the school good in all key judgements: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. Pupils benefit from an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum, strong SEND support, good behaviour, effective safeguarding and a particularly engaging early years provision with extensive outdoor learning. The school’s coastal context, including forest and beach school, is a distinctive strength, and relationships between pupils, staff and families are positive. The school has stabilised after a period of turbulence, with effective support and challenge from governors and collaboration with the local authority, diocese and external partners. Early reading is a priority and children get off to a strong start, while staff are well trained and adapt learning appropriately for pupils with SEND without lowering expectations. Attendance is monitored rigorously and pupils access a wide range of citizenship, cultural and extra-curricular opportunities. There are still areas to refine. Curriculum improvements are recent, and in a small number of subjects leaders’ monitoring and strategic oversight are not yet fully embedded. In some subjects, gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not consistently identified and addressed. Some older pupils also lack enough opportunities to practise and develop their reading skills, which limits their confidence, accuracy and comprehension. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the interim headteachers have been in post since June 2024.

Strengths

• Close-knit and nurturing school with a strong sense of belonging and pride among pupils
• Positive relationships between pupils, staff and families
• Ambitious curriculum that reflects the local context and is well sequenced
• High expectations for behaviour and achievement, including for pupils with SEND
• Tailored SEND support with well-trained staff and effective use of resources
• Strong early reading provision with daily interventions and small-group support
• Engaging and inclusive early years provision with a vibrant outdoor learning environment
• Good behaviour in lessons and during playtimes
• Rigorous attendance monitoring and close work with families
• Wide range of extra-curricular, cultural and citizenship opportunities
• Effective governing body providing timely support and challenge
• Effective safeguarding arrangements

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum improvements are still in early stages in some areas
• In some subjects, gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not consistently identified and addressed
• Strategic oversight and monitoring systems are not yet fully embedded in a small number of subjects
• Some older pupils do not have enough time to practise and develop reading skills
• Some pupils lack confidence and accuracy in reading, and comprehension techniques are less developed than they could be
• The reading curriculum should be reviewed further to improve attainment and readiness for the next stage

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 Lythe Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.9% 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 Lythe 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 Lythe Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School had 24.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 60.0% 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, 7.6% of pupils at Lythe Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.5% 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 Lythe Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School received £8,755 and spent £8,847 for each of its 75 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £10,000 (£134 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).

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

The latest Ofsted rating for Lythe Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is Good, from an inspection in February 2025.

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

Lythe Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School was last inspected in February 2025.

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

Lythe Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School has 79 pupils on roll.

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

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

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

In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Lythe Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School?

Lythe Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is at High Street, Lythe, Lythe Cevc School, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3RT.