Cundall Manor School Review 2026: An all through day and weekly boarding school with outdoor learning at its core

A North Yorkshire school that deliberately blends three strands, academic, active and creative, with character development treated as a taught priority rather than a poster on the wall. The setting matters here. The school describes a 28 acre site, and it has built a distinctive outdoor learning identity through The Wild Wood, a dedicated one acre environment used across ages.

Leadership has also been in the spotlight recently. Mr Simon Weale took up post as Headmaster from 7 January 2025, following a governors’ appointment announced in August 2024.

For parents, the most helpful recent external snapshot is the full Independent Schools Inspectorate inspection in late November 2024. It confirmed that the school met the required standards across leadership and governance, education, wellbeing, and wider development, with safeguarding standards also met.

This is an all through school from ages 2 to 16, with nursery provision and boarding offered as weekly or flexi options rather than full termly boarding.

Cundall Manor’s identity is tied to a founding story that is unusually specific for a modern school. The school opened in 1959 with a small cohort, and attributes its creation to Lt Col Dr Harry Beckhough, with the Cundall Manor estate offered by Major Arthur Collins. It positions this origin as the start of an ethos aimed at preparing children to handle life’s challenges as well as academic ones.

The internal culture is formalised through structures that cut across age groups. The house system places every pupil into one of four houses, Normans, Saxons, Stuarts and Tudors, using vertical groupings to build cross age responsibility and belonging. For families new to the school, this matters because it gives younger children visible older role models, and it gives older pupils a routine expectation of leadership that is not limited to prefect style roles.

The Cundall Character Curriculum is the phrase used most consistently across the school’s own descriptions of daily life, framed as a set of habits and dispositions such as resilience, creativity, compassion and curiosity. The practical implication is that parents should expect regular reference to character language in assemblies, rewards, enrichment choices, and pupil leadership, rather than seeing it restricted to pastoral sessions.

Outdoor learning is not positioned as an occasional enrichment add on. The Wild Wood is described as a one acre outdoor learning environment used as a classroom across the school, and the early curriculum notes weekly sessions there for younger children. For some pupils this becomes a confidence engine, especially for those who learn best through movement, practical tasks and teamwork. For others, particularly children who prefer predictable indoor routines, it is worth checking how the outdoor programme is balanced with quieter learning spaces.

Boarding also shapes the atmosphere, even for day families, because it extends the school day into supervised prep, shared meals and evening activities for boarders. The boarding accommodation is in the Manor House, with shared social spaces that support a close peer group. The school highlights planned social activities such as ice skating, bowling and pizza nights.

As an independent school, Cundall Manor does not have the same breadth of published primary phase performance measures as state schools, so the most comparable benchmark is GCSE performance.

On the FindMySchool GCSE outcomes ranking, Cundall Manor is ranked 1164th in England, and 11th locally within York. This places the school broadly in line with the middle 35% of schools in England for this measure, roughly the 25th to 60th percentile band. (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data.)

Grade distribution suggests a mixed attainment profile at GCSE. The proportion of entries at grades 9 to 7 is 29.6%, with 14.1% at grades 9 to 8, and 15.5% achieving grade 7. Against an England comparison point of 54% at grades 9 to 7, this is below the England benchmark. The implication is not that pupils cannot do very well, but that parents should ask what the school’s typical cohort looks like academically, how sets are organised in Key Stage 4, and how consistently high prior attainers are stretched across subjects.

It is also sensible to interpret these figures with context in mind. Small cohorts at 16 can swing percentages year to year, and the school’s own communications may highlight individual successes. For shortlisting purposes, the stable takeaway is the ranking position and the overall grade profile above, then the next step is understanding fit, support and stretch rather than expecting a narrowly selective academic intake.

Parents comparing several local options should use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to place these outcomes alongside nearby schools, and to see how the pattern looks when set next to each alternative rather than in isolation.

A useful way to think about teaching at Cundall Manor is through its mix of specialist provision and breadth expectations. In the younger years, the curriculum pages highlight specialist teaching in areas such as French, tennis and swimming, alongside core classroom learning. The implication for parents is that children are likely to encounter specialist subject staff earlier than they would in many small prep settings, which can help identify strengths and build confidence.

The most recent inspection narrative also gives a balanced picture of classroom consistency. Inspectors found teaching typically enables pupils to make good progress, with most lessons well planned for pupil needs, but noted that in some lessons pupils’ learning is not extended sufficiently or adapted well enough, limiting progress in those instances. That combination often points to a school where the best practice is strong, but where variability between classrooms or subjects can be felt by pupils who need either more challenge or more scaffolding.

In early years, the inspection summary highlights an effective balance between child led play and adult guided learning. For families choosing nursery and Reception, that usually translates into children having protected time for self directed exploration, while staff still plan purposeful language, early maths and social development steps.

At senior level, the school positions itself as academically ambitious and supportive, with opportunities for individual music, LAMDA and tennis tuition, and a broad curriculum intent. The practical question for parents of children approaching GCSE is how the school identifies gaps early, how it uses assessment to adjust teaching, and what targeted support looks like for pupils who are capable but inconsistent.

Because Cundall Manor ends at 16, transition planning is a central part of the Year 11 experience. Families need to be comfortable with a second admissions process at the point other all through schools simply retain students into sixth form.

The school’s recent GCSE news stories show pupils moving on to a mix of schools, including Yarm and Ripon Grammar School. This suggests a pattern where some leavers transfer into independent schools for sixth form, while others move into strong state sector sixth forms, depending on the pupil and the family’s priorities.

For younger pupils, internal progression is described as straightforward in one key pinch point. The admissions policy notes that transfer from Year 6 into Year 7 is usually automatic, which will appeal to parents who want continuity into the senior phase without another external selection hurdle at 11.

Cundall Manor presents admissions as open and relationship based, with visits, taster days and a rolling admissions approach. It publishes open morning dates of 6 February 2026 and 15 May 2026, each at 9:30am, and also welcomes term time visits.

Entry is described as possible at most ages if a vacancy exists, with Year 11 noted as a likely exception. For oversubscribed year groups, the admissions policy lists a range of criteria including siblings, date of registration, boarding need, particular skills or aptitude, scholarships, former pupil parent links, and armed forces connections, while stating that no order of priority should be inferred. The practical implication is that early engagement matters, and families considering boarding should raise that early, as boarding demand is treated as part of allocation decisions.

A place is secured through an acceptance payment. The published fees information states a non refundable acceptance fee of £375, payable on return of the parent contract acceptance form.

For parents who care about timing, there are two additional signals in the school’s own documents. It refers to an induction day in June for children starting at the beginning of an academic year, and term dates show the rhythm of the school year, which helps families map moving dates, commuting patterns and holiday cover.

The strongest evidence based takeaway is that wellbeing is described as a leadership priority. The most recent inspection summary states leaders have the skills and knowledge to prioritise pupils’ wellbeing in decision making, and it also confirms that boarding requirements are met and that boarders have a welcoming environment and suitable accommodation.

In practical terms, a school like this often delivers pastoral care through multiple overlapping layers: form tutors, house structures, senior staff visibility, and structured routines for boarders. The house system supports cross age relationships, and boarding routines create predictable evening patterns of meals, prep and supervised downtime for those staying in.

Parents should also note that the inspection record flags a very specific operational improvement point, which can matter for trust. It states that when the inspection was announced, some non statutory policies were not up to date and certain contact details were not easily found, and that this was remedied during inspection. For many families this will be reassuring because it shows the issue was identified and corrected quickly, but it is also a reminder to review the most current versions of policies and practical guidance when planning trips, medical arrangements, and communication routines.

Cundall Manor’s co curricular offer is most distinctive when it leans into practical creativity and outdoor competence rather than generic clubs.

One concrete indicator is the published enrichment menu for older pupils, which includes activities such as Ceramics (with kiln fired work), Chicken Keeping, Enterprise Club for business planning, and coding and design work using platforms such as Scratch and SketchUp. The implication is that pupils who enjoy making, building, testing and iterating will find regular opportunities to develop those skills in structured settings, not only through one off themed weeks.

Outdoor learning continues beyond the early years. Camping Skills, Gardening, and the school’s wider outdoor pursuits framing connect back to The Wild Wood as a recurring learning space. For some pupils this is where confidence accelerates, particularly when classroom attainment is slower to emerge.

Sport is strongly embedded in the weekly pattern. The school highlights swimming as a core part of provision from Reception, using an indoor heated pool, with competitive opportunities including ISA competitions and inter house events. For pupils who enjoy measurable progress, timed swims, squad training, and gala preparation can provide a clear ladder of achievement that complements academic targets.

Boarding adds an extra layer of evening and weekend activity. The school describes organised social and activity programmes for boarders, and its calendar entries show regular boarding socials such as pizza making, reflecting a model where boarding is as much about community experience as it is about logistics for working parents.

Cundall Manor publishes termly fees for September 2025, which cover the 2025 to 2026 academic year cycle. Day fees per term are £4,996 for Reception to Year 2, £7,894 for Years 3 to 4, £8,436 for Years 5 to 6, £8,594 for Years 7 to 8, and £8,747 for Years 9 to 11. Weekly boarding fees per term are £9,769 for Years 3 to 4, £10,311 for Years 5 to 6, £10,469 for Years 7 to 8, and £10,622 for Years 9 to 11, with occasional boarding priced at £54 per night.

The school states that day fees include a daily hot lunch. It also indicates that after school enrichment, prep and care from 5pm to 6pm carries no additional charge within these fee bands, which is a meaningful practical saving for families who would otherwise pay separately for after school supervision.

Upfront costs include a non refundable acceptance fee of £375. Additional charges listed in the published schedule include school bus pricing, and optional extra tuition such as additional academic tuition and individual music or drama lessons, plus Duke of Edinburgh Award costs.

Financial assistance is available, with the admissions policy describing bursaries for families who would otherwise be unable to afford fees, scholarships across academic and creative areas, plus forces related awards. The school’s scholarship information is published with dates listed as to be confirmed for 2025, so parents should expect to check the current cycle directly when applying.

Nursery fees are published by the school separately. For nursery pricing and funding details, consult the school’s fees information directly, noting that government funded hours are available for eligible children.

Boarding at Cundall Manor is designed to be accessible and flexible rather than fully immersive. The school offers weekly boarding and flexi boarding, with pupils able to stay overnight on selected nights. Accommodation is described as dormitories of roughly two to eight pupils, shifting towards smaller rooms for older boarders.

The physical setting is a key part of the proposition. Boarding is housed in the Manor House, with communal social space, and the school highlights a programme of planned activities. This model can work extremely well for families who want the benefits of supervised prep, stable routines and easier commuting on some days, without committing a child to full time separation from home.

Routines are clearly structured, with published examples including breakfast, registration, supervised prep, and evening activities, plus defined bedtimes by age. For pupils who respond well to predictable structure, weekly boarding can support organisation and independence. For pupils who are more anxious away from home, flexi boarding is often the more realistic starting point, and parents should ask how the school supports new boarders in the first term.

Wraparound care is clearly described for younger pupils. The pre prep information states breakfast club from 7:30am, early drop off from 8:15am, and an after school club running 4:00pm to 6:00pm at no extra charge, with a light snack served mid afternoon.

For the nursery and Reception age range, published handbook material indicates that the school day finishes at 3:20pm, which is helpful for parents coordinating pickups and after school activities.

Term dates for 2026 are published, including Lent term beginning Tuesday 6 January 2026, summer term beginning Monday 20 April 2026 at 8:30am, and Michaelmas term beginning Monday 7 September 2026. For parents planning travel or childcare, the dates also show half term windows in February and late May.

Transport is part of the practical picture. The published fee schedule includes school bus charges by term, and the prospectus notes road access via major routes and rail links via Thirsk, which will matter for families commuting from York, Harrogate, Ripon and surrounding areas. Families choosing weekly boarding often do so to reduce weekday travel pressure, while keeping weekends at home.

Parents considering the site for sports and activities can also note the on site facilities referenced for school use and hire, including a swimming pool, gym, and AstroTurf among other spaces, which supports the school’s active strand.

• GCSE profile relative to England benchmarks. The dataset’s 29.6% at grades 9 to 7 is below the England comparison point provided, and the FindMySchool ranking places outcomes in the middle 35% of schools in England. Families with very high prior attainment should ask detailed questions about stretch, setting, and how consistently the strongest teaching is delivered across subjects.

• Consistency of challenge across lessons. The most recent inspection summary notes that in some lessons pupils are not extended sufficiently, and progress is more limited in those instances. This is worth probing during a taster day, especially for pupils who learn quickly.

• A planned transition at 16. With no sixth form, every family faces a Year 11 move. For many pupils this is positive, opening up strong sixth form options. It still requires emotional readiness and practical planning.

• Boarding is flexible, which cuts both ways. Weekly and flexi boarding suit many modern family schedules, but pupils seeking a fully immersive full boarding culture may prefer a school designed around termly boarding.

Cundall Manor School is best understood as a character driven, outdoors capable all through school that uses boarding flexibly to support family logistics and pupil independence. It will suit families who value a broad education that gives meaningful time to sport, creativity, and practical competence, and who like the idea of a structured but not full time boarding option from primary age.

The main decision point is fit at Key Stage 4 and beyond. Families prioritising a school to 18 will need to be comfortable with a Year 11 transition plan, and academically ambitious families should look closely at how the school stretches top prior attainers across subjects. For families aligned with its character curriculum and outdoor learning emphasis, it can be a distinctive and supportive route through to GCSE, with a clear next step into strong sixth form destinations.