Meadowside Academy

Meadowside Academy is performing well overall, showcasing effective leadership and a good quality of education since it was last inspected in 2012. The school benefits from a supportive environment where both staff and pupils thrive, promoting positive behaviors and strong relationships. Notably, the curriculum has been restructured to cater to the diverse needs of pupils, especially in the early years where children make a strong start. The school is also recognized for fostering an inclusive atmosphere, which is a significant strength within its community.

Strengths

• Strong support for pupils with high expectations of behavior and achievement.
• Nurturing environment fostering relationships amongst pupils and staff.
• Effective teaching of phonics and reading support for older pupils.
• Inclusive practice for pupils with SEND, ensuring their integration into school life.
• Well-planned enrichment activities that enhance pupils' learning experience.

Areas for Improvement

• Assessment processes in foundation subjects do not effectively identify knowledge gaps.
• Support for pupils with significant additional needs lacks precision.

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 Meadowside Academy attended 94.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 15.7% 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, 2.0% of pupils at Meadowside Academy 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 Meadowside Academy had 24.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 31.6% 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, 23.3% of pupils at Meadowside Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.8% 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 Meadowside Academy received £6,989 and spent £6,781 for each of its 205 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £199,000 (£969 per pupil).

Across all 18 schools of Elevate Multi Academy Trust, income was £7,114 and spending £6,947 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 Knaresborough · North Yorkshire local authority: places and applications

Meadowside Academy is part of Elevate Multi Academy Trust, which runs 18 schools. The nearest others:

• Knaresborough St John's Church of England Primary School Knaresborough
• Aspin Park Academy Knaresborough
• Marton-Cum-Grafton Church of England Primary School York
• Thorner Church of England Primary School Leeds
• Topcliffe CofE Academy Thirsk
• Sessay Church of England Primary School Thirsk
• Alanbrooke Academy Thirsk
• Husthwaite Church of England Primary School York
• Carlton Miniott Primary Academy Thirsk
• Keeble Gateway Academy Thirsk

What is Meadowside Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Meadowside Academy is Good, from an inspection in July 2024.

When was Meadowside Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Meadowside Academy was last inspected in July 2024.

How many pupils does Meadowside Academy have?

Meadowside Academy has 206 pupils on roll.

What age range does Meadowside Academy cover?

Meadowside Academy for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Meadowside Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 68% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Meadowside Academy?

Meadowside Academy is at Halfpenny Lane, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, HG5 0SL.