Lady Lumley’s School Review 2026: A rural secondary with a strong outdoor education identity and a Good Ofsted profile

Set on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors, Lady Lumley’s School serves a wide rural area around Pickering, which shapes both the community feel and the practicalities of attendance. The school is led by Clair Foden, who has been headteacher since April 2020, bringing continuity through a period of trust and structural change.

The latest inspection (April 2024) judged the school Good across all areas, including sixth form provision, and stated that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Academically, outcomes sit in a solid middle band for GCSE performance in England, with above average progress indicators that suggest pupils, on balance, do better than their starting points would predict. Sixth form results are weaker relative to England averages, so families weighing post-16 options will want to look closely at subject fit and support structures.

There is a clear, school-wide emphasis on “being our best”, used as a consistent refrain for both academic expectations and wider development. The language is not confined to display materials; it is embedded in how personal development is framed, including the school’s work to strengthen pupils’ understanding of modern Britain, respect, and protected characteristics.

Behaviour is described as calm and generally positive in lessons and at social times, with systems that treat bullying incidents seriously and respond quickly when issues arise. The tone is purposeful rather than intense. That matters in a mixed, non-selective setting, especially one drawing from dispersed communities where friendship groups can be more geographically spread than in a town-only intake.

A notable feature is the way older students contribute to the wider culture. Sixth formers are used as reading buddies and role models, which supports younger pupils’ confidence and helps older students practise leadership in a structured, useful way rather than a token role badge.

Governance and trust context is part of the present-day identity. Ofsted lists the school as part of Delta Academies Trust, while the 2024 inspection report refers to Coast and Vale Learning Trust in the period covered. Practically, for parents, this usually shows up in shared policies, staff development structures, and consistency of expectations across academies.

For GCSE outcomes, the school ranks 1799th in England and 1st in Pickering (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data). This places performance in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), a helpful shorthand for families comparing local options.

The Attainment 8 score is 49.6, and the Progress 8 score is +0.3, which indicates pupils make above average progress across their GCSE subjects. EBacc average point score is 4.3.

A caution for families who care strongly about EBacc strength: the percentage achieving grades 5 or above in the EBacc combination is 11.1%, which suggests that while progress overall is positive, the traditional academic suite is not currently the dominant outcomes story for all pupils.

For A-levels, the school ranks 2024th in England and 1st in Pickering (FindMySchool ranking). This sits below England average, within the lower national band. The A-level grade profile shows 33.33% of grades at A* to B, compared with an England average of 47.2%; at the very top, A* to A totals 13.51%, compared with an England average of 23.6%.

The implication is not that sixth form is a weak choice for all students, but that it is most likely to suit those who value continuity, pastoral familiarity, and a supportive post-16 environment, and who are realistic about course selection and the work required to reach highly competitive university routes.

Curriculum design is described as ambitious, including for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, with subject leaders identifying key knowledge and planning how learning should build over time. Where this works well, pupils benefit from lessons that connect new content to what they already know, which is particularly important in a mixed ability intake.

The key development point is consistency in checking understanding and using that information to close gaps. In practice, this tends to be the difference between pupils who accumulate knowledge securely and those who carry misconceptions forward until assessment points make the gap obvious. Families may want to ask how assessment and reteaching is handled in their child’s likely subjects, particularly in Key Stage 3 where habits are set early.

Reading support is a visible strand. Staff training and targeted support for pupils who need help with early reading are part of a developing reading culture, and the sixth form “reading buddy” model adds capacity while reinforcing older students’ responsibility.

The sixth form pitch is centred on pathways, not a single definition of success, with routes spanning university and apprenticeships, and with an explicit push on independent learning and personal development. A reported historic data point is that in 2022 around a third of students progressed to Russell Group universities, and 82% of university applicants achieved their first choice placement. Treat that as an indicator of ambition rather than a guarantee, as it is a snapshot rather than a rolling published series.

For families focused on Oxbridge, the school recorded 6 applications and 1 acceptance in the measured period, with the successful place at Cambridge. The number is modest, but it is meaningful in a rural comprehensive context, and it signals that the scaffolding for highly competitive applications exists for students who are well matched to it.

The strongest practical advice is to look at subject fit and teaching strength at post-16, then ask how the school supports competitive applications through the Aspire Group style enrichment and interview preparation activities.

Year 7 admissions are coordinated through North Yorkshire Council. For September 2026 entry, the key countywide dates are: applications open 12 September 2025, the deadline is 31 October 2025, offers are released on 2 March 2026, and appeals deadlines run into April.

As an academy, the school’s oversubscription criteria sit within its published admissions arrangements, but the practical point for families is that the local authority process still governs the application window and offer day mechanics. If you are weighing proximity and realistic chances, FindMySchool’s Map Search can help you sense check travel and likely routes, then you can validate details against the council’s admissions guidance.

Sixth form admissions are handled directly by the school rather than the local authority. The published minimum entry requirement for Level 3 study is at least five GCSEs at grade 4 (or equivalent Level 2 qualifications), with resits expected in English and or Maths if grade 4 is not achieved.

Open events appear to run on a predictable annual rhythm. A Year 5 and 6 open evening was scheduled for early October in 2025, which is a typical timing for Year 7 admissions engagement, but families should check the school’s current calendar for the next cycle.

Pastoral work is closely linked to the personal development curriculum, including explicit teaching on safety and respectful conduct. The school’s improvement focus includes tackling discriminatory language and strengthening understanding of protected characteristics, which is relevant both for safeguarding and for day-to-day culture.

Attendance is a known challenge, including in the sixth form, and the rural catchment is part of the context. Longer travel distances can make punctuality and fatigue more difficult to manage, particularly in winter months. For families, this is worth thinking through in practical terms: transport reliability, after-school commitments, and whether a child is likely to thrive with a structured day that ends at 15.00 but often extends into enrichment.

This is where Lady Lumley’s has a distinctive signature. Outdoor education is not treated as an occasional trip add-on; it is presented as a department with specialist kit and qualified staff, including a dedicated outdoor education centre in the North Yorkshire Moors, climbing walls, a fleet of kayaks and open canoes, and mountain bikes used for sessions at Dalby Forest.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is offered across Bronze, Silver and Gold, with training sessions through the week and direct entry to Gold via sixth form enrichment. The detail here matters: provision with equipment, staff expertise, and a clear training timetable tends to be more sustainable than schemes that rely on a single annual push.

There is also a practical, skills-based element to post-16 enrichment. The sixth form programme references EPQ opportunities, TED-style discussions, Kindle publishing, MOOCs, debating, and leadership roles that involve supporting younger pupils. For students who develop confidence through doing, rather than only through classroom performance, that blend can be important.

The published academy day for 2025 to 26 starts with tutor time at 08.55, includes five teaching periods, and ends at 15.00, with optional enrichment running to 16.00. The school site is open 08.30 to 16.00 on weekdays in term time.

Given the rural context, transport planning is a genuine part of the decision. Families should check bus arrangements and travel times carefully, especially if a child is likely to commit to after-school activities that finish at 16.00.

• Sixth form outcomes versus England averages. The A-level grade profile sits below England averages, so course choice and support planning matter, especially for highly competitive university routes.

• Attendance and travel reality. Attendance is an improvement priority, and rural travel adds friction for some families. Build a plan for winter travel, punctuality, and energy levels.

• Personal development focus is explicit. The curriculum includes a strong push on respectful culture and modern Britain knowledge. Families will want alignment with this emphasis, particularly if a child has previously struggled with peer culture.

• Outdoor education is a major pillar. This suits students who engage through practical challenge and the outdoors; those who prefer purely classroom-based enrichment may be less motivated by the flagship offer.

Lady Lumley’s School is a good, improving rural secondary with a clear identity, a calm learning environment, and an unusually well-developed outdoor education programme. GCSE outcomes sit in a solid England middle band with above average progress, while sixth form results are weaker relative to England averages, so post-16 choices should be made thoughtfully.

Who it suits: families in and around Pickering who want a grounded, community-focused 11 to 18 school with strong personal development work and outdoor opportunities, and students who benefit from structure, supportive relationships, and practical enrichment alongside their academic study.