Middleton Tyas Church of England Primary School Review 2026: A high-performing village primary with a two-site model that works

This is one of those small primaries where the numbers stop you mid-scroll. In 2024, 98.33% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2, far above the England average of 62%. Scaled scores were also notably high (111 in reading, 110 in mathematics, 109 in grammar, punctuation and spelling). Ranked 436th in England and 2nd in Richmond for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), it sits well above the England average, comfortably within the top 10% of primaries in England, and closer to the top 3% on this specific measure.

Operationally, it is unusual. The school runs alongside Trinity Academy Eppleby Forcett as one school across two sites, with pre-school and early years based at Eppleby Forcett and pupils in Year 1 to Year 6 taught at the Middleton Tyas site. A school-funded bus supports catchment children moving between sites, which is a material practical advantage for working families.

For parents, the headline question is fit rather than quality. The quality is clear. The fit depends on whether you want a smaller, tightly knit school experience with a strong academic core and a distinctive approach to early years and transition across sites.

The school’s identity is shaped by its structure. Early years children are educated at the Eppleby Forcett site and then transition to the Middleton Tyas site for Year 1, a move the school frames as seamless and purposeful. The detail matters here: the two-site model is not a loose partnership, it is designed around continuity of routines, staff collaboration, and consistent expectations.

Daily life also has a strong pupil voice element. The school council is not described as decorative. Pupils have been credited with shaping the environment, including creating a reading den in the playground and establishing an eco-club, which gives a useful clue about how leadership is distributed and how seriously pupils’ ideas are taken.

Behaviour is a defining feature. The most recent inspection graded Behaviour and Attitudes as Outstanding, and the supporting narrative describes pupils as articulate, confident and highly positive about learning, with bullying described as rare and dealt with quickly when concerns arise. That tends to translate, in practice, into calmer classrooms and more learning time, particularly in mixed-age or smaller cohort contexts where one pupil’s behaviour can otherwise dominate.

Faith is present, but it is not presented as exclusionary. As a Church of England school, the language of values, collective worship and Christian ethos appears consistently in school documentation, and the school’s church links are openly described. For families who value a clear moral framework and regular reflection, this can feel grounding. For families who prefer faith to sit lightly, it is worth reading the school’s vision and values carefully before deciding whether it matches your preferences.

Leadership is clearly established. Mrs Debbie McLean is named as headteacher in official documentation and inspection reporting, and she leads within the Dales Academies Trust governance structure. The trust’s involvement matters because it shapes professional development, curriculum support and oversight.

The data from 2024 is unusually strong for a state primary. At the end of Key Stage 2:

• Expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics: 98.33%, compared with an England average of 62%.

• Higher standard (greater depth) in reading, writing and mathematics: 45.67%, compared with an England average of 8%.

• Reading scaled score: 111.

• Mathematics scaled score: 110.

• Grammar, punctuation and spelling scaled score: 109.

These are not marginal gains. They point to a school where core skills are taught systematically and pupils finish Year 6 very secure in the building blocks that matter for secondary school transition.

In FindMySchool’s proprietary rankings based on official data, the school is ranked 436th in England and 2nd in Richmond for primary outcomes, placing it well above England average (top 10% in England), and closer to the top 3% on this ranking measure.

An important nuance is breadth. High core outcomes are valuable, but parents should also look for evidence that foundation subjects are not treated as an afterthought. The most recent inspection material indicates that significant work has been done to strengthen foundation subject curriculum planning and sequencing, with some subjects more embedded than others.

For parents comparing nearby options, it is often helpful to use a side-by-side view. FindMySchool’s Local Hub pages and Comparison Tool are designed for exactly this sort of decision, where results are strong and small differences in approach, size and practicalities become decisive.

The teaching model is strongly anchored in early reading and mathematics, and the school’s own and external descriptions align on that point. Reading is positioned as a priority, with staff training, structured phonics teaching, and a culture that goes beyond decoding into depth and enjoyment. The inspection narrative includes examples of older pupils talking confidently about demanding texts, a sign that reading is treated as a habit and a skill rather than purely a test outcome.

Mathematics is described by the school as a mastery-focused curriculum that builds conceptual understanding from early years onwards. In practical terms, mastery approaches work best when assessment is frequent, misconceptions are addressed quickly, and pupils are supported to explain their reasoning rather than relying on speed. In a school producing these results, parents can reasonably expect that lessons follow clear progressions and that gaps are not left to widen.

A distinctive curriculum feature is the decision to teach Latin as the Key Stage 2 language. This is not common in state primaries and signals a particular view of academic preparation. The school’s rationale, including the link to vocabulary development and confidence in pronunciation, will appeal to some families, especially those who value explicit language study and etymology. Others may prefer a modern foreign language for cultural exposure and immediate conversational relevance. The choice is neither right nor wrong, but it is distinctive and worth weighing.

Curriculum breadth has been an improvement focus. Planning and sequencing across foundation subjects are described as stronger than before, with ongoing work in some areas to ensure pupils build connected knowledge over time, rather than recalling isolated facts. That distinction matters because it affects how well pupils can explain their learning and apply it later, particularly once they reach secondary.

For a primary serving rural villages and a defined catchment list, secondary transition is typically shaped by the local authority’s catchment secondary allocation process and parental preference. North Yorkshire Council provides a catchment map tool for families to confirm the secondary catchment linked to their address, which is the most reliable starting point for planning.

The school explicitly builds transition into its pupil premium planning and wider support approach, which is a useful indicator of how seriously Year 6 readiness is treated beyond test preparation. For children who are academically strong, the combination of high attainment and structured learning habits usually supports a smooth move to secondary. For children who are more anxious about change, the school’s emphasis on routines, clear expectations and planned transition activities can make a meaningful difference.

A specific practical point for this school is the earlier internal transition, early years to Year 1, which happens across sites. The school describes that move as carefully managed. For parents, that can be a positive proxy for how the school will handle the larger move to secondary later on, particularly around communication, preparation, and building independence steadily.

Admissions are competitive in a small-school context. The school’s most recent admissions data indicates 20 applications for 8 offers for the primary entry route measured, which equates to 2.5 applications for every place and an oversubscribed position. This is not a London-style scramble, but it is enough demand that families should approach it as a real competition rather than an assumption.

Catchment is clearly described by the school. The usual catchment area for the Middleton Tyas setting includes: Middleton Tyas, Aldbrough St John, Stanwick St John, Carlton, Moulton, Gatherley, Halnaby and Scotch Corner. Applications from outside the area are possible if places are available, but families should treat catchment as a meaningful factor.

Another unusual feature is transport support across the two-site model. The school states that catchment children are transported by a school-funded bus when their year group is taught on the other site, which can remove a major friction point for working parents who would otherwise face two different drop-off patterns. The school also provides additional transport detail for children travelling between sites in Years 1 to 6.

For September 2026 Reception entry in North Yorkshire, key local authority dates are clear: applications opened on 12 October 2025, the closing date was 15 January 2026, and National Offer Day is 16 April 2026. Families applying for later intakes should check the equivalent timetable annually, as it follows a consistent pattern but is date-specific each year.

For parents planning ahead, the practical recommendation is to use a distance and catchment check early. FindMySchool’s Map Search can help families sense-check their location against the school’s catchment logic and local alternatives before they rely on a single outcome.

Pastoral care in small schools tends to be either a major strength or a pressure point, depending on consistency and staffing. Here, the evidence points to a structured approach with clear expectations. Pupils are described as safe and happy, and safeguarding is recorded as effective in inspection reporting.

The school also publishes signposting for mental health and wellbeing support, including external resources for families. This is increasingly common, but its usefulness depends on how well it is integrated into everyday practice. What stands out more here is the combination of calm routines, very strong behaviour, and a culture where pupils take responsibility through roles such as play leaders and reading leaders. Those structures typically help children feel known and supported, particularly in rural settings where community connections are strong and anonymity is rare.

SEND information is presented in a standard four-area framework aligned to the SEND Code of Practice. The school also describes intervention time as part of its approach, though inspection evidence suggests leaders have worked to sharpen the focus on the specific knowledge and skills pupils need during intervention, rather than letting it become a generic support block. For parents of children with additional needs, the key question to explore is how support is targeted and reviewed, and how communication works across the two-site structure if a child starts in early years and then transitions to Year 1.

Extracurricular provision is strongest when it reflects the school’s priorities rather than ticking boxes. Here, there are several distinctive signals. Sustainability is not only a web-page label, it shows up in pupil-led activity through the eco-club and Eco Warriors model referenced in school documentation, and in pupil involvement in improving the environment.

Sport is present in a practical, local way rather than an elite pathway. Historical club information shows options such as cricket and gymnastics, alongside creative clubs like KS1 art. While club lists change termly, this mix indicates an intent to cover sport, creativity, and leadership.

The arts are also visible in how clubs are led and shared. The inspection narrative notes pupils running a dance club and performing later in the year. That is a useful marker because it suggests pupils are not only participants but organisers, which builds confidence and public speaking in a low-stakes way.

Outdoor learning is explicitly referenced via Forest School material. In a rural village context, using the local environment well can materially improve children’s engagement, especially for pupils who learn best through movement, practical exploration and talk.

The Middleton Tyas site school day starts at 8:45am, with drop-off from 8:35am; the school day ends at 3:15pm. Break and lunch times are set out clearly, which is helpful for working families coordinating childcare and transport.

Wraparound is a clear practical strength. Breakfast club and after-school club operate, with published fees and timings. For example, the 2025 to 2026 wraparound policy sets out breakfast club and after-school charges for the Middleton Tyas setting, including a full session option up to 6:00pm on weekdays, subject to booking arrangements.

Transport between sites is built into the model. The school describes an 8:20am bus from Eppleby Forcett to Middleton Tyas for pupils in Years 1 to 6, arriving around 8:35am, and return transport after the end of the day. Families should still confirm the current pattern for their child’s year group, but the presence of structured transport provision is itself a meaningful differentiator.

• Two-site structure. The early years setting is based at Eppleby Forcett with Year 1 to Year 6 at Middleton Tyas. Many children handle this well, but some pupils may find the Year 1 move between sites a bigger step than parents expect; it is worth discussing transition support early.

• Competition for places. The school is oversubscribed on the published entry-route snapshot, with 2.5 applications per place. Families should plan a realistic set of preferences and not rely on a single outcome.

• Curriculum refinement still matters. While results are extremely strong, official evidence indicates that in some subjects the work of building connected knowledge and checking what pupils remember over time has been an ongoing improvement area. Parents who prioritise broad curriculum depth should ask how this has progressed since the last inspection cycle.

• Wraparound costs. Breakfast and after-school provision is available, but it is a paid service with booking requirements. This is normal, but families should budget for it if they plan to use it regularly.

For academic outcomes at primary level, Middleton Tyas Church of England Primary School is operating at a very high level, with end of Key Stage 2 results that substantially exceed England averages and a FindMySchool ranking that places it well above typical performance. The school’s distinctive two-site structure, with early years based at Eppleby Forcett and Years 1 to 6 at Middleton Tyas, is not just a logistical footnote, it is central to daily life and to how children experience transition.

Best suited to families who want a small, village-based Church of England primary with strong routines, very strong behaviour, and clear practical support around wraparound and site-to-site transport. The main challenge is securing a place and making sure the two-site transition model fits your child’s temperament and your family’s routines.