Hempland Primary School Review 2026: High-attaining York primary with an ambitious core curriculum

Strong Key Stage 2 outcomes are the headline here. In 2024, 89% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, well above the England average of 62%. The higher standard figure is equally striking at 44%, compared with an England average of 8%. The school’s FindMySchool ranking places it well above the England average overall, and it also sits among the stronger primaries locally.

The setting supports a practical, well-resourced day-to-day experience, with sizeable grounds and a broad set of internal learning spaces, including a teaching kitchen and ICT provision designed for whole-class use. Leadership is currently under Mrs Abigail Innes, and the school sits within Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust.

Hempland’s stated values, Respect, Opportunity, Ambition and Resilience, are not treated as decorative language. The most recent inspection describes pupils applying these values in daily school life, and in practice they appear to function as a shared behavioural and learning vocabulary across year groups. That matters in a school of this size, because common language tends to reduce low-level friction and helps staff respond consistently.

The physical environment is a strength for families who want a modern, practical primary rather than a cramped site. The school describes a modern building in spacious grounds, with playing fields, gardens, adventure play areas and two playgrounds. Indoors there are fourteen classrooms plus a library, a teaching and learning centre, two quiet rooms for one-to-one or small-group work, two halls and a dedicated teaching kitchen used by all pupils. These features are useful not just as “nice to have” facilities, but because they make it easier to run targeted interventions, group rehearsals, and enrichment without continually displacing classroom teaching.

On heritage, this is not a Victorian institution trading on legacy. An older Ofsted report describes the school as having opened in September 1999, created from two separate schools. For families, that is a helpful context clue, as newer schools tend to be designed around modern safeguarding expectations, accessibility, and flexible learning spaces, even if, as always, the lived experience depends on leadership and staff culture.

Leadership is currently under Mrs Abigail Innes. The most recent graded inspection notes that the headteacher began leading the school in September 2021, so the current phase of improvement and consistency should be interpreted through that lens.

Hempland’s 2024 Key Stage 2 outcomes are notably strong.

• Expected standard (reading, writing, maths combined): 89%, compared with an England average of 62%.

• Higher standard (greater depth in reading, writing, maths combined): 44%, compared with an England average of 8%.

• Scaled scores: reading 109, mathematics 109, and grammar, punctuation and spelling 109.

In FindMySchool’s proprietary ranking (built from official outcomes data), the school is ranked 993rd in England for primary outcomes and 7th locally in York, placing it well above the England average overall (top 10%). Parents comparing nearby options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to review these outcomes side by side.

The practical implication of this results profile is that higher prior attainers are clearly being stretched, not simply brought to the expected standard. That tends to be a good indicator for families who care about depth in reading and mathematics, and it usually correlates with strong subject leadership and effective classroom routines.

Reading is positioned as a curriculum driver. The school describes carefully planned texts shaping classroom work, with a clear structure for early reading: daily phonics in Early Years and Year 1 using Little Wandle Letters and Sounds, plus decodable reading sessions three times weekly focused on fluency, prosody and comprehension. There is also an explicit “catch up” and “keep up” model for pupils who need it. The benefit for families is clarity and consistency, both for pupils who learn to read quickly and for those who need additional structure.

Mathematics is framed through a teaching-for-mastery model, using concrete, pictorial and abstract representations and the White Rose scheme of work to break learning into small steps. There is also a stated use of NCETM Mastering Number sessions through to Year 5, plus daily fluency work in Year 6. Practical classroom systems are described, such as a “Maths Market” of resources and working walls that keep vocabulary and weekly learning visible. For parents, this level of curricular specificity is useful, because it makes it easier to understand how pupils build automaticity and reasoning skills over time.

A final note on curriculum design is worth keeping in mind. The latest Ofsted inspection reports that curriculum planning is strong in many areas, while early years planning was less detailed than the rest of the school at the time. That is a common improvement theme in primaries, and it is a sensible point for Reception parents to explore when visiting and discussing how learning is sequenced across the year.

As a primary, the key transition is into Year 7. The school signposts families to the City of York Council process for secondary applications and key dates. In practice this usually means families weighing a mix of York secondaries and considering travel logistics as well as school fit.

The school’s communications also reflect the reality that secondary admissions deadlines arrive early in the Year 6 calendar. For example, the school has issued reminders about the Year 7 application deadline and National Offer Day timing for York, which gives a sense of how proactively the transition is handled.

Reception admissions sit within the local authority coordinated process, and demand is clearly higher than supply. The school’s published admission number is 60 for Reception, and the most recent admissions demand data shows 124 applications for 60 offers, which equates to 2.07 applications per place. This is an oversubscribed picture, not a “try your luck late” market.

For September 2026 entry, the school publishes a clear timeline:

• Applications open 12 September 2025

• On-time deadline 15 January 2026

• National Offer Day 16 April 2026 (or next working day)

• Appeals window dates are also set out

Families should treat these dates as the operational timetable, and still check the local authority portal for any procedural updates.

The last distance offered is not available in the current dataset for this school, so families should avoid assuming a particular radius will be sufficient. If you are applying on a distance criterion, use FindMySchoolMap Search to measure from your home to the school gate and sense-check your position against typical local demand, remembering that the precise cut-off depends on the pattern of applicants each year.

Pastoral care in primary schools often shows up less in glossy statements and more in daily routines: calm corridors, consistent adult responses, and pupils who can explain how to stay safe. The latest inspection describes a calm school where pupils have positive attitudes and know how to keep themselves safe in school and online. In practical terms, that typically reflects staff training, predictable classroom expectations, and a safeguarding culture that is understood, not merely documented.

The site itself also supports pastoral provision, with quiet rooms designed for one-to-one or small group work. Those spaces matter for pupils who need short, structured support without being separated from mainstream class life.

Extracurricular life at Hempland changes term by term, which is usually the right approach for a primary. It allows staff to respond to pupil interests and to seasonal opportunities. Examples from the school’s published club lists include Homework Club, Geography Club, Drama Club, Sing Stars, Mindfulness, Watercolour Painting, and Sing and Sign. There are also sport options such as multisports and futsal delivered with external support. The implication for families is breadth, with both structured study support and lower-pressure enrichment, particularly useful for pupils who gain confidence through creative or performance-based activities.

There is also a well-established parent fundraising group, Friends of Hempland, which the school notes was set up in 2002. In many primaries, this kind of group is how “extras” get funded, from visiting workshops to equipment that would otherwise sit outside core budgets.

Trips and events appear to be a regular part of school life. For instance, school communications reference residential activity for Year 6 in some years, which tends to be a confidence-building milestone as pupils move towards secondary transition.

The school day is published clearly. Start times are 8.35am for Early Years and Key Stage 1, and 8.40am for Key Stage 2; finish times are 3.15pm for Early Years and Key Stage 1 and 3.20pm for Key Stage 2.

Wraparound care is offered through Lions@Hempland during term time, with Breakfast Club 7.30am to 8.35am and after-school sessions running to 5.00pm or 6.00pm. Session pricing for 2025 to 2026 is published as £4.75 for breakfast, £8.25 for the early after-school session, and £10.25 for the full session.

On travel, Stockton Lane has local bus services and York’s main rail hub is York station. For route planning, families typically use City of York travel information and operator timetables rather than relying on general directories.

• Competition for places. With around two applications per place in the most recent data, the limiting factor for many families will be admission rather than school quality.

• Inspection timing. The latest graded inspection is from October 2021. That is still valid evidence, but families should use visits, up-to-date policies, and current leadership communication to understand how the school has developed since then.

• Early years detail. Ofsted highlighted that early years curriculum planning was less detailed than the rest of the school at the time of inspection. Reception parents should explore how sequencing and assessment work in practice.

• Wraparound costs. Breakfast and after-school provision is available, but it is a paid service with clear session fees. For some families this is good value; for others it becomes a meaningful annual cost.

Hempland Primary School combines very strong Key Stage 2 outcomes with a clearly articulated approach to reading and maths, and practical facilities that support both enrichment and targeted support. Entry is the main hurdle, and families should treat admissions timelines and criteria as seriously as the educational offer. Best suited to families seeking an academically ambitious state primary in York, with structured teaching in the fundamentals and access to wraparound care when needed.