Topcliffe CofE Academy
School Lane, Topcliffe, Thirsk, YO7 3RG
- Phase
- Primary
- School type
- Academy converter
- Ages
- 2 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Trust
- ELEVATE MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
- Headteacher
- Mrs Abigail Clay
- Diocese
- Diocese of York
- Nursery provision
- Has Nursery Classes
- Sponsor
- Elevate Multi Academy Trust
- Constituency
- Thirsk and Malton
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
- Capacity
- 112
- Pupils on roll
- 116
- URN
- 144840
- Local authority
- North Yorkshire
- Website
- School website
- Telephone
- 01845577412
About this school
Topcliffe CofE Academy is a Church of England primary academy in Thirsk. It teaches children aged 2 to 11 and has 116 pupils on roll.
Ofsted has inspected Topcliffe CofE Academy, and its latest judgement is set out below. Where the Department for Education has published them, its results and pupil characteristics appear below. Numbers and a report only go so far, so visit in person before you apply.
Ofsted judgement
Ofsted did not give an overall grade. Between September 2024 and September 2025 inspections graded each area of a school's work without a single overall judgement, ahead of the move to report cards. How Ofsted report cards work
- Quality of education
- Outstanding
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Outstanding
- Personal development
- Outstanding
- Leadership and management
- Outstanding
- Early years
- Outstanding
- 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 | 12 | 17 | 15 |
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 83% | 76% | 53% |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | 33% | 18% | 20% |
| Expected standard in reading | 92% | 82% | 73% |
| Expected standard in maths | 100% | 100% | 73% |
| Expected standard in grammar, punctuation and spelling | 92% | 76% | 73% |
| Average scaled score in reading | 106.0 | 107.0 | 105.0 |
| Average scaled score in maths | 108.0 | 107.0 | 105.0 |
| Reading progress | +0.20 | - | - |
| Writing progress | +4.50 | - | - |
| Maths progress | +2.60 | - | - |
Progress measures ended nationally after the 2022/23 school year, when the key stage 1 assessments they were based on were stopped. Blank progress figures in later years are not missing school data.
Trends over time
How Topcliffe CofE Academy has moved over recent years against the local and national picture. Every figure is shown in the table beneath its chart.
| Year | This school | North Yorkshire average | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 83% | 56.9% | 57.9% |
| 2023/24 | 76% | 58.6% | 58.8% |
| 2024/25 | 53% | 59.2% | 60.3% |
Department for Education KS2 performance data, published school results.
| Year | This school | England average |
|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 3% | 6.8% |
| 2023/24 | 2.6% | 6.6% |
| 2024/25 | 2.5% | 6.2% |
Department for Education pupil absence data.
| Year | This school |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 131 |
| 2023/24 | 132 |
| 2024/25 | 121 |
School census, spring count each academic year.
How Topcliffe CofE Academy compares
Topcliffe CofE Academy ranked 161st of 233 primary schools in North Yorkshire for KS2 results in 2024/25. Its KS2 result was higher than 26% of England primary schools that published results in 2024/25. Its absence rate was lower than 100% of England schools in 2024/25.
| School | KS2 RWM (2024/25) | Absence | FSM (6 years) | Pupils | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This school | 53% | 2.5% | 11.9% | 116 | — |
| Alanbrooke Academy | — | 2.6% | 0% | 27 | 1.6 miles |
| Dishforth Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School | 64% | 3.7% | 17.9% | 97 | 2.4 miles |
| Keeble Gateway Academy | — | 6.2% | 19.1% | 204 | 3.0 miles |
| Carlton Miniott Primary Academy | 71% | 4% | 13.6% | 196 | 3.1 miles |
| Dishforth Airfield Community Primary School | 80% | 3.8% | 13.4% | 96 | 3.2 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.
Inspection history
School context
From the 2024/25 school census and absence figures.
- Free school meals (last 6 years)
- 11.88%
- English as an additional language
- 0%
- Overall absence
- 2.54%
- Persistent absence
- 3.3%
Location
Nearby schools
-
Alanbrooke Academy1.6 miles
Primary · Thirsk
-
Dishforth Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School2.4 miles
Primary · Thirsk
-
Keeble Gateway Academy3.0 miles
Primary · Thirsk
-
Carlton Miniott Primary Academy3.1 miles
Primary · Thirsk
-
Dishforth Airfield Community Primary School3.2 miles
Primary · Thirsk
Other schools in Thirsk
Topcliffe CofE Academy ranks 7th of the 10 ranked primary schools in Thirsk.
- Alanbrooke Academy Primary
- All Saints Catholic Primary School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy Primary
- Carlton Miniott Primary Academy Primary
- Dishforth Airfield Community Primary School Primary
- Dishforth Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Primary
- Keeble Gateway Academy Primary
- Knayton Church of England Academy Primary
- Pickhill Church of England Primary School Primary
- Sessay Church of England Primary School Primary
- South Kilvington Church of England Academy Primary
- Sowerby Primary Academy Primary
- Thirsk Community Primary School Primary
Common questions
- What ages does Topcliffe CofE Academy teach?
- Topcliffe CofE Academy teaches children aged 2 to 11. It is a primary school in Thirsk.
- Who is the headteacher of Topcliffe CofE Academy?
- The headteacher of Topcliffe CofE Academy is Mrs Abigail Clay, as recorded in the Department for Education's register of schools.
- Has Topcliffe CofE Academy been inspected?
- Ofsted has inspected Topcliffe CofE Academy, and its latest judgement is set out in the inspection section on this page, with the framework and the date it was made.
- How many pupils are at Topcliffe CofE Academy?
- Topcliffe CofE Academy has 116 pupils on roll, teaching children aged 2 to 11.
- Is Topcliffe CofE Academy full?
- Topcliffe CofE Academy has capacity for 112 pupils and 116 on roll (104%), so it is at or above 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 Topcliffe CofE Academy a faith school?
- Yes. Topcliffe CofE Academy is designated Church of England, in the Diocese of York.
- Does Topcliffe CofE Academy have a nursery?
- Yes. The schools register records Topcliffe CofE Academy as having nursery classes.
- Is Topcliffe CofE Academy part of an academy trust?
- Topcliffe CofE Academy is part of ELEVATE MULTI ACADEMY TRUST. Schools in a trust or federation share leadership and governance, but each keeps its own inspection record and results.
- How have Topcliffe CofE Academy's results changed over recent years?
- Its share of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths was 83% in 2022/23 and 53% in 2024/25. The year-by-year figures, alongside local and national averages, are charted in the trends section on this page.
- How does Topcliffe CofE Academy compare with other schools in North Yorkshire?
- Topcliffe CofE Academy ranked 161st of 233 primary schools in North Yorkshire for key stage 2 results. Its KS2 result was higher than 26% of England primary schools that published results in 2024/25. Its absence rate was lower than 100% of England schools in 2024/25. Results reflect each cohort as well as the school, so treat rankings as a starting point.
- What is Topcliffe CofE Academy's absence rate?
- Topcliffe CofE Academy's overall absence rate is 2.5% in the latest published census, at or below the England average of 6.2%.
- What are Topcliffe CofE Academy's exam results?
- Where the Department for Education has published them, Topcliffe CofE Academy'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 10 July 2026.