East Cowton Church of England Primary School

East Cowton Church of England Primary School is a very small rural primary in the Dales Academies Trust, and inspectors found it performing strongly overall. Pupils achieve well from their starting points, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils, and published outcomes are often above national averages in reading and mathematics. Behaviour and attendance are strong, pupils are positive about school, and safeguarding standards are met. The early years provision, inclusion and leadership and governance are particular strengths, with staff supported well and governors and trustees providing effective challenge. The school offers a broad personal development programme despite its size, including cultural, spiritual and charitable activities, and pupils are well prepared for the next stage of education. Parents are overwhelmingly positive, and the nurturing, inclusive ethos is evident across the school. Curriculum and teaching are generally effective, with a clear focus on foundational knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics. The main area for further work is writing. While pupils' writing is typically of a high standard, a small number do not consistently use grammar, punctuation and spelling with sufficient precision, and some errors are not systematically identified and addressed through teaching. Leaders should continue embedding the writing curriculum and improve teachers' assessments so that pupils' written work is consistently of the highest quality they are capable of.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve well across the curriculum, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.
• Reading and mathematics outcomes are often above national averages.
• Pupils produce high-quality work and make significant progress from their starting points.
• Attendance is strong and compares favourably with national figures.
• Behaviour is often exemplary, and bullying is not an issue.
• Early years leadership and curriculum are highly effective.
• Children in early years achieve highly and are well prepared for Year 1.
• The school is highly inclusive and identifies and removes barriers swiftly.
• Pastoral support has a notable and sustained impact on pupils' progress and wellbeing.
• Leaders have strengthened the school significantly since the previous inspection.
• Staff receive evidence-informed professional development and feel well supported.
• Governors and trustees fulfil their duties and provide robust, appropriate challenge.
• Personal development is broad and well planned, with meaningful cultural and charitable opportunities.
• Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe online and offline.
• Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school.

Areas for Improvement

• A small number of pupils do not consistently use grammar, punctuation and spelling with sufficient precision.
• Some writing errors are not systematically identified and addressed through teaching.
• Leaders should continue embedding elements of the writing curriculum and further improve teachers' assessments.

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 East Cowton Church of England Primary School attended 95.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 3.8% 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 East Cowton 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 East Cowton Church of England Primary School had 13.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 17.2% 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, 23.7% of pupils at East Cowton Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.6% 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 East Cowton Church of England Primary School received £12,280 and spent £10,980 for each of its 30 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £37,000 (£1,229 per pupil).

Across all 15 schools of Dales Academies Trust, income was £7,522 and spending £7,432 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 Northallerton · North Yorkshire local authority: places and applications

East Cowton Church of England Primary School is part of Dales Academies Trust, which runs 15 schools. The nearest others:

• Great Smeaton Academy Primary School Northallerton
• Croft Church of England Primary School Darlington
• Middleton Tyas Church of England Primary School Richmond
• Oakbridge Church of England Primary School Northallerton
• Barton Church of England Primary School Richmond
• Ainderby Steeple Church of England Primary School Northallerton
• Trinity Academy Richmond Richmond
• Carnagill Community Primary School Catterick Garrison
• Eppleby Forcett Church of England Primary School Richmond
• South Otterington Church of England Primary School Northallerton

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

The latest Ofsted rating for East Cowton Church of England Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in October 2026.

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

East Cowton Church of England Primary School was last inspected in October 2026.

How many pupils does East Cowton Church of England Primary School have?

East Cowton Church of England Primary School has 38 pupils on roll.

What age range does East Cowton Church of England Primary School cover?

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

Where is East Cowton Church of England Primary School?

East Cowton Church of England Primary School is at Golden Acres, East Cowton, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL7 0BD.