Lothersdale Primary School

Lothersdale Primary School is a small academy-converter primary within the Yorkshire Collaborative Academy Trust. This was its first section 5 inspection and its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspectors found provision to be of the highest standard across the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years. Under the current framework, no overall effectiveness grade was awarded. Pupils thrive academically and socially. The school has high ambitions and these are realised, with pupils including those with SEND achieving remarkably well and recent key stage 2 and Year 1 phonics outcomes described as exceptional. The curriculum is meticulously planned from Reception to Year 6, reading is central, behaviour is exemplary, attendance is significantly above the national average, and personal development is exceptional. Early years provision is carefully designed and prepares children well for Year 1. Governance and trust support are strong, staff are proud to work at the school, and parents are overwhelmingly positive. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. The report does not identify any weaknesses or next steps for improvement.

Strengths

• Meticulously planned curriculum from Reception to Year 6
• Reading is at the heart of the school, with strong phonics provision
• Exceptional outcomes for pupils, including those with SEND
• Exemplary pupil behaviour and conduct
• Attendance significantly above the national average
• Exceptional personal development and character education
• Well-designed early years provision that prepares children for Year 1
• Highly skilled staff with effective professional development
• Strong governance and trust support and challenge
• Parents and staff are overwhelmingly positive about the school
• Effective safeguarding arrangements
• Rich extracurricular, cultural and community opportunities

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 Lothersdale Primary School attended 95.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.4% 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, 1.0% of pupils at Lothersdale 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 Lothersdale Primary School had 20.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 7.0% of pupils at Lothersdale Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.0% 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 2024–25 Lothersdale Primary School received £7,784 and spent £8,301 for each of its 105 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £42,000 (£402 per pupil).

Across all 10 schools of Yorkshire Collaborative Academy Trust, income was £7,313 and spending £7,615 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Keighley · North Yorkshire local authority: places and applications

Lothersdale Primary School is part of Yorkshire Collaborative Academy Trust, which runs 11 schools. The nearest others:

• Cononley Primary School Keighley
• Bradleys Both Community Primary School Keighley
• Threshfield Primary School Skipton
• Askwith Primary School Otley
• Darley Primary School Harrogate
• Summerbridge Primary School Harrogate
• Harrogate, Bilton Grange Primary School Harrogate
• Hawes Primary School Hawes
• Leyburn Primary School Leyburn
• Osmotherley Primary School Northallerton

What is Lothersdale Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Lothersdale Primary School is Outstanding, from an inspection in September 2025.

When was Lothersdale Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Lothersdale Primary School was last inspected in September 2025.

How many pupils does Lothersdale Primary School have?

Lothersdale Primary School has 100 pupils on roll.

What age range does Lothersdale Primary School cover?

Lothersdale Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Lothersdale Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Lothersdale Primary School?

Lothersdale Primary School is at Lothersdale, Keighley, West Yorkshire, BD20 8HB.