Leeming and Londonderry Community Primary School Review 2026: A very small village primary built around mixed age learning

This review cannot lean on published Key Stage 2 performance statistics, because the available results for this school does not include attainment figures or a FindMySchool primary ranking. Instead, the most useful academic indicators come from how the curriculum is organised and the priorities the school sets for core skills.

Reading is treated as the central academic priority. The school sets a clear expectation that pupils become secure early readers, and it continues to emphasise fluency and reading for enjoyment beyond the early years. In a small primary, that clarity matters, it helps teachers and families align on what good progress looks like and where to concentrate support when children need it.

In writing, the main developmental point for families to understand is not about handwriting polish, it is about accuracy and feedback loops. When pupils make phonics related spelling errors in early writing, those mistakes need to be addressed quickly and consistently so that pupils do not rehearse the same error over time. This is an area the school has been directed to strengthen, and it is worth asking how spelling feedback is handled in day to day books and how staff support pupils who need extra help to write with fluency.

Mixed age classes only work when planning is tight. The curriculum is sequenced from Reception through to Year 6, with careful decisions about when each subject is taught and how knowledge is revisited. Retrieval practice is used as a routine, for example through quizzes and questioning at the start of lessons to check what pupils remember and to spot gaps early. The implication for families is positive, even if your child is in a mixed age group, teaching is not improvised, it is structured around a clear progression model.

Phonics is also adapted sensibly for a mixed age setting. Where pupils are not keeping up, additional phonics sessions are used to close the gap. That is particularly important in a small school where the range of needs in one room can be wide. Ask how the school decides who receives extra phonics, and what the expected timeline is for catching up.

Technology is used in practical, age appropriate ways rather than as a gimmick. A simple example is younger children scanning QR codes to access an adult explanation of a task, supporting independence without removing adult support. Online safety is taught explicitly, which matters in small schools where children can be very confident with devices but still need clear boundaries and language around safe choices.

As a North Yorkshire community primary, transition routes are shaped by the local authority secondary catchment system, and catchment is determined by home address rather than which primary a child attends. North Yorkshire Council provides an interactive catchment map for families to check their own address and understand likely secondary options.

In practice, the school’s personal development and enrichment work supports transition readiness in broad terms, not just academically. Residential visits for Key Stage 2 pupils are used to build independence, communication, and social confidence, which often shows up later as smoother transition into Year 7 routines and expectations.

For parents planning ahead, the most useful step is to treat Year 5 as the moment to get precise on secondary options, check catchment using the council map, visit likely schools, and consider transport and timings. If you are using FindMySchool’s tools, the Map Search can help you sense check distance and travel practicality alongside catchment information, which is especially useful when boundaries sit close to a home address.

Admissions are coordinated by North Yorkshire Council, not by the school. The school’s role is to welcome prospective families for visits and provide information, but decisions on allocating places follow the local authority’s oversubscription criteria for community and voluntary controlled schools.

For Reception 2026 entry, the North Yorkshire application round opened on 12 October 2025 and the closing date was 15 January 2026, with a final date to change preferences or submit late applications of 22 February 2026. National Offer Day for primary places is 16 April 2026. These dates matter even if you missed the main deadline, because late applications are handled differently and you will want to understand the process early.

Demand is a real consideration. The admissions data available for this school indicates it is oversubscribed, with 19 applications recorded against 4 offers in the latest cycle represented equivalent to 4.75 applications per place. In a small school, the number of available places can vary significantly year to year depending on how many children are already on roll in each cohort, so families should treat any single year’s figures as a signal, not a guarantee.

A major live factor for 2026 is the proposed amalgamation with Aiskew, Leeming Bar Church of England Primary School. North Yorkshire Council has published statutory proposals that would technically discontinue Leeming and Londonderry Community Primary School as a separate entity from 13 April 2026, enlarging Aiskew, Leeming Bar Church of England Primary School onto the Leeming and Londonderry site, with a proposed Published Admission Number of 15 for the amalgamated school. The same council documents indicate a final decision is scheduled for 17 March 2026. If you are applying for September 2026 entry, you should read the latest updates and understand what changes, if any, would apply to admissions and catchment.

Pastoral work in small primaries tends to be more visible because there are fewer layers between families and staff. Pupils are supported to develop responsibility through structured roles, including being play leaders and reading ambassadors, and through smaller leadership roles aimed at younger pupils. The implication is that confidence is built through practice, children are given real jobs and expected to follow through.

Personal development is not treated as a bolt on. Pupils are taught about diversity, equality, religion, and wider world issues in an age appropriate way, and the programme is supported by visitors and educational visits, including emergency services input on road safety, which is a relevant local issue because the school is positioned on a main road through the village.

Safeguarding responsibilities are clearly structured on the school website, with named leads and a published safeguarding statement. For parents, the practical test is not the paperwork, it is how well the system works day to day, including how concerns are handled and how communication with families is managed.

In a small school, extracurricular only works when it is designed to scale. The model here leans on participation and choice rather than long club lists. Pupils can access clubs such as baking and craft alongside sport options, and many pupils take part. For parents, the benefit is breadth without needing a large cohort, children can try activities that feel distinct rather than generic, and they often mix with older or younger pupils, which can improve confidence and communication.

Federation Friday adds another layer. Meeting pupils from another federation school creates social variety and shared learning experiences that a single class per year group school can struggle to provide on its own. This is a tangible example of federation membership turning into pupil experience, not just leadership structure.

Educational visits also do real work here. Residentials for Key Stage 2 pupils are framed as personal development experiences, building independence and social skills through outdoor and city based trips. For many children, that kind of experience becomes a confidence anchor before secondary transition.

This is a state funded primary school with no tuition fees. Most costs for families are the normal extras, such as uniform, trips, and optional clubs, plus wraparound childcare if used.

The school day runs from 9.00am to 3.30pm, with children arriving from 8.50am.

Wraparound provision is unusually practical for working families. Breakfast Club starts at 7.30am and costs £4 per session.

After school, there is a free club option from 3.30pm to 4.30pm, and a paid session until 5.30pm at £4 per session, including a light tea.

Operationally, wraparound is run from Aiskew, Leeming Bar CE Primary School due to outdoor facilities, with transport provided between the sites for children using this provision. That has a direct impact on parent logistics, particularly collection arrangements.

• Very small scale. With around 25 pupils on roll and a capacity of 56, social breadth is narrower than in larger primaries, and mixed age learning is the default. This suits many children, but it is not every child’s preference.

• Writing accuracy is a development focus. Spelling and writing fluency improve fastest when errors are corrected consistently, and this is an area the school has been directed to strengthen. Ask how feedback is given and what interventions look like for pupils who need extra help.

• Admissions uncertainty for September 2026. Statutory proposals are in progress to amalgamate with Aiskew, Leeming Bar CE Primary School from 13 April 2026, with a council decision scheduled for 17 March 2026. Families applying for Reception should understand what changes could apply to catchment and admissions.

• Wraparound pick up location. Breakfast and after school care is designed to support working parents, but the operating model involves transport and collection from the partner school site, so collection routines may differ from a single site school.

This is a small, structured village primary that makes mixed age teaching work through deliberate curriculum planning and clear expectations around behaviour and responsibility. Best suited to families who value a close knit setting, want children to learn alongside different ages, and are comfortable with the practical realities of a small school, including variable admissions availability year to year. The main watch point for 2026 is the proposed amalgamation, which could change how families experience admissions and catchment.