NEW government data has revealed York primary schools’ reading, writing and maths scores for 2022-23.

Using Department for Education (DfE) figures and boundaries for 'York Central' and 'York Outer', Rufforth Primary School near York led the way with 87 per cent of eligible students achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in key stage two in the 2022-23 school year.

It was followed by:

  • Elvington Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, where 86 per cent of pupils met the standard
  • Hempland Primary School, where 85 per cent of pupils met the standard
  • Knavesmire Primary School, where 82 per cent of pupils met the standard
  • Ralph Butterfield Primary School, where 80 per cent of pupils met the standard

At the other end of the table was Westfield Primary Community School in Acomb where 29 per cent of eligible students achieved the expected standard.

Overall in England, 60 per cent of students met the standard in 2022-23 – up from 59 per cent the year before but below 65 per cent in 2018-19, before the pandemic.

The Government aims for 90 per cent of key stage two children to meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Pupils scoring at least a scaled score of 100 out of 120 will have met the expected standard in the test.

School leaders' union the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said ranking schools is simplistic and does not consider the context of the particular cohort or the community the school serves.

The DfE said the statistics covered the attainment of year six pupils who took assessments in summer 2023 and that these pupils experienced disruption to their learning during the pandemic, particularly at the end of year three and in year four.

'No piece of data can provide an accurate picture of the effectiveness of schools'

Rufforth Primary School’s headteacher Jill Richards said: “We are incredibly proud of the progress and attainment made by our Year Six pupils last year.

“High attainment is of course something to celebrate but we are equally proud of the progress our students make and their wider personal development throughout their time at school.”

Lamara Taylor, headteacher at Westfield Primary School said: “The Education Endowment Foundation published a report in May 2022 highlighting the impact that Covid had on the attainment of all pupils, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“Evidence shows pupils from areas of high deprivation have experienced a greater impact.

“Our results are a reflection of this.

“We are delighted that in July 2023 Ofsted recognised that, despite our outcomes, we remain a good school ‘where pupils benefit from an ambitious curriculum and rich cultural experiences’.”

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The NAHT said government investment is needed to help pupils recover from the pandemic, as figures show the proportion of students meeting the expected mark is well below pre-pandemic levels.

General secretary Paul Whiteman added: "No piece of data can provide an accurate picture of the effectiveness of schools, whose work goes far beyond that number, and league tables and ranking of schools should be scrapped.

"They can have damaging consequences and can actually be a barrier to improvement."

A DfE spokesperson said: “We know the pandemic had a significant impact on education globally which is why we have made £5 billion available since 2020 for education recovery initiatives, including just under five million tutoring course starts to date supporting pupils in all corners of the country."

They added England outperformed the international average in maths, reading and science.

A DfE list of York Outer and York Central Primary Schools and percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard is below:

Rufforth Primary School - York Outer: 87 per cent

Elvington Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - York Outer: 86 per cent

Hempland Primary School - York Outer: 85 per cent

Knavesmire Primary School - York Central : 82 per cent

Ralph Butterfield Primary School - York Outer: 80 per cent

New Earswick Primary School - York Outer: 79 per cent

Lord Deramore's Primary School - York Outer: 79 per cent

Dringhouses Primary School - York Outer: 78 per cent

St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School - a Catholic Voluntary Academy - York Central: 76 per cent

Dunnington Church of England Primary School - York Outer: 75 per cent

St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - York Outer: 75 per cent

Scarcroft Primary School - York Central: 74 per cent

Clifton With Rawcliffe Primary School - York Outer: 74 per cent

St Lawrence's Church of England Primary School - York Central: 72 per cent

Osbaldwick Primary Academy - York Outer: 72 per cent

St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - York Central: 71 per cent

Wigginton Primary School - York Outer: 69 per cent

Badger Hill Primary Academy - York Central: 69 per cent

Archbishop of York's CofE Voluntary Controlled Junior School, Bishopthorpe - York Outer: 69 per cent

Poppleton Road Primary School - York Central: 68 per cent

Headlands Primary School - York Outer: 68 per cent

Robert Wilkinson Primary Academy - York Outer: 68 per cent

Acomb Primary School: York Central - 67 per cent

Woodthorpe Primary School - York Outer: 67 per cent

Carr Junior School - York Central: 66 per cent

Poppleton Ousebank Primary School - York Outer: 66 per cent

Huntington Primary Academy - York Outer: 65 per cent

Heworth Church of England Primary School - York Central: 65 per cent

St Oswald's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - York Outer: 64 per cent

Park Grove Primary Academy - York Central: 63 per cent

Skelton Primary School - York Outer: 60 per cent

St George's Catholic Primary School - a Catholic Voluntary Academy - York Central: 60 per cent

Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Catholic Primary School - a Catholic Voluntary Academy - York Central: 60 per cent

Fishergate Primary School - York Central: 59 per cent

Tang Hall Primary Academy - York Central: 59 per cent

Stockton-on-the-Forest Primary School - York Outer: 56 per cent

Wheldrake with Thorganby Church of England Primary School - York Outer: 56 per cent

Haxby Road Primary Academy - York Central: 52 per cent

Copmanthorpe Primary School - York Outer: 50 per cent

Hob Moor Community Primary Academy - York Central: 47 per cent

Yearsley Grove Primary School - York Outer: 46 per cent

Lakeside Primary Academy - York Outer: 43 per cent

Burton Green Primary School - York Central: 40 per cent

St Aelred's Catholic Primary School - a Catholic Voluntary Academy - York Central: 38 per cent

Clifton Green Primary School - York Central: 31 per cent

Westfield Primary Community School - York Central: 29 per cent