Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School
Spennithorne, Leyburn, DL8 5PR
- Phase
- Primary
- School type
- Voluntary aided school
- Ages
- 4 to 7
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Headteacher
- Mrs Helen Dudman
- Diocese
- Diocese of Leeds (ce)
- Federation
- The Federation of Middleham (VA) Junior & Spennithorne CE (VA) Infant Primary Schools
- Constituency
- Richmond and Northallerton
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
- Capacity
- 83
- Pupils on roll
- 54
- URN
- 121517
- Local authority
- North Yorkshire
- Website
- School website
- Telephone
- 01969623474
About this school
Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School is a Church of England voluntary aided primary school in Leyburn. It teaches children aged 4 to 7 and has 54 pupils on roll.
You can read Ofsted's latest judgement for the school below. Where the Department for Education has published them, its results and pupil characteristics appear below. Seeing a school for yourself shows what no page can, so arrange a visit before you apply.
Ofsted judgement
Overall judgement at the last full inspection
This inspection took place under the previous framework, which gave a single overall grade. Ofsted now publishes report cards instead, so newer inspections of other schools will look different. How Ofsted report cards work
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Effective
Exam results
Key stage 2 (end of primary school)
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of key stage 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | - | - | - |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | - | - | - |
| Expected standard in reading | - | - | - |
| Expected standard in maths | - | - | - |
| Expected standard in grammar, punctuation and spelling | - | - | - |
| Average scaled score in reading | - | - | - |
| Average scaled score in maths | - | - | - |
Trends over time
How Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School has moved over recent years against the local and national picture. Every figure is shown in the table beneath its chart.
| Year | This school | England average |
|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 5.1% | 6.8% |
| 2023/24 | 2.8% | 6.6% |
| 2024/25 | 5.1% | 6.2% |
Department for Education pupil absence data.
| Year | This school |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 32 |
| 2023/24 | 38 |
| 2024/25 | 44 |
School census, spring count each academic year.
How Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School compares
Its absence rate was lower than 59% of England schools in 2024/25.
| School | KS2 RWM (2024/25) | Absence | FSM (6 years) | Pupils | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This school | — | 5.1% | 0% | 54 | — |
| Middleham Church of England Aided School | 56% | 4.2% | 5.9% | 47 | 1.2 miles |
| Leyburn Primary School | 63% | 3.5% | 11.4% | 200 | 1.5 miles |
| Hunton and Arrathorne Community Primary School | 36% | 2.5% | 6% | 86 | 3.8 miles |
| Carnagill Community Primary School | 26% | 6.5% | 20.7% | 134 | 5.8 miles |
| Catterick Garrison, Le Cateau Community Primary School | 38% | 4.8% | 15.5% | 424 | 6.1 miles |
Results reflect each school's cohort as much as its teaching, and free school meals share is context, not a judgement. Small gaps between neighbouring schools are rarely meaningful on their own.
School context
From the 2024/25 school census and absence figures.
- Free school meals (last 6 years)
- 0%
- English as an additional language
- 4.5%
- Overall absence
- 5.06%
- Persistent absence
- 3.7%
Location
Nearby schools
-
Middleham Church of England Aided School1.2 miles
Primary · Leyburn
-
Leyburn Primary School1.5 miles
Primary · Leyburn
-
Hunton and Arrathorne Community Primary School3.8 miles
Primary · Bedale
-
Carnagill Community Primary School5.8 miles
Primary · Catterick Garrison
-
Catterick Garrison, Le Cateau Community Primary School6.1 miles
Primary · Catterick Garrison
Other schools in Leyburn
- Askrigg Voluntary Controlled Primary School Primary
- Bainbridge Church of England Primary and Nursery School Primary
- Leyburn Primary School Primary
- Middleham Church of England Aided School Primary
- Wensleydale School Secondary
Recorded changes at this school
Previous headteacher: Mrs Zoe Hirst (until September 2026).
- School type changed from Voluntary controlled school to Voluntary aided school recorded 31 Oct 2026
- School name changed from Spennithorne Church of England Primary School to Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School recorded 6 Oct 2026
- Headteacher changed from Mrs Zoe Hirst to Mrs Helen Dudman recorded 10 Sep 2026
Common questions
- What year groups does Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School teach?
- Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School teaches children aged 4 to 7. It is a primary school in Leyburn.
- Who is the headteacher of Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School?
- The headteacher of Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School is Mrs Helen Dudman, as recorded in the Department for Education's register of schools.
- When was Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School last inspected?
- Ofsted has inspected Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School, and its latest judgement is set out in the inspection section on this page, with the framework and the date it was made.
- How big is Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School?
- Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School has 54 pupils on roll, teaching children aged 4 to 7.
- Is Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School full?
- Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School has capacity for 83 pupils and 54 on roll (65%), so it has space against its published capacity. Places are allocated through the local authority's admissions process, so capacity alone does not tell you whether a place is available.
- Is Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School a faith school?
- Yes. Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School is designated Church of England, in the Diocese of Leeds (ce).
- Does Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School have a nursery?
- No. The schools register records Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School as having no nursery classes.
- Who runs Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School?
- Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School is part of the The Federation of Middleham (VA) Junior & Spennithorne CE (VA) Infant Primary Schools federation. Schools in a trust or federation share leadership and governance, but each keeps its own inspection record and results.
- What is Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School's absence rate?
- Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School's overall absence rate is 5.1% in the latest published census, at or below the England average of 6.2%.
- What are Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School's exam results?
- Where the Department for Education has published them, Spennithorne Church of England VA Infant School's key stage results are shown in the results section on this page, with the last three years so you can see the trend rather than a single year.
School details come from the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools register. Inspection outcomes come from Ofsted, and exam results from the Department for Education's school performance service. This page was last updated on 31 October 2026.