Harrogate school 'performs above national average in key areas'

"We are incredibly proud of our children and staff, said school’s headteacher”

A federation of Harrogate schools has seen its pupils achieve significant improvements across the primary years and have performed above the national average in key areas.

Official figures show that Saltergate Schools in Harrogate enjoyed a year of strong academic progress. | Submitted

placeholder image — Official figures show that Saltergate Schools in Harrogate enjoyed a year of strong academic progress. | Submitted

Official government figures show that Saltergate Schools has enjoyed a year of strong academic progress.

In the Infant School, Year 1 pupils achieved an 87.2% pass rate in the 2025-26 phonics screening check, an increase of 13.5 percentage points on the previous year and well above the national average of 82%.

Saltergate Schools Headteacher Jo Hall said: "We are incredibly proud of our children and staff.

“These results reflect the hard work, commitment and high-quality teaching that takes place every day.

“Developing strong reading skills from the earliest stages is a priority for us, and it is wonderful to see our children making such excellent progress."

Saltergate Schools joined Red Kite Learning Trust in April 2025 and is part of a trust of 16 schools across North and West Yorkshire, educating more than 10,000 pupils.

Strong outcomes were also achieved at Saltergate Schools in Reception, where 76.7% of children reached a Good Level of Development, up by 10 percentage points on the previous year and above the national average of 68%.

The positive picture continued in the Junior School, where the combined outcome for Key Stage 2 reading, writing and mathematics increased by 23.25 percentage points compared with the previous year.

In mathematics, 76.4% of pupils achieved the expected standard, exceeding the national average of 75%.

Amanda Thornton Jones, Director of Primary Education at Red Kite Learning Trust, said: "These results are a testament to the dedication of colleagues across the school and the determination of our pupils.

“It is particularly encouraging to see strong progress at every stage of children's learning, from Reception through to Year 6.

“We look forward to building on this success and ensuring every child continues to thrive."

More on Key stage 2 attainment 2026 results here