At Cundall Manor School, academic success is built on far more than examination preparation alone. Our pupils achieve exceptional outcomes because they are known individually, supported personally and encouraged to develop confidence, curiosity and resilience throughout their education.
We are proud to be the top-performing independent school in North Yorkshire for Attainment 8 in the Government League Tables — a significant achievement that reflects both the strength and breadth of a Cundall education.
Attainment 8 is the Government’s key measure of GCSE performance. It calculates a pupil’s average achievement across eight subjects, including:
Unlike headline measures that focus only on a small number of academic subjects, Attainment 8 rewards pupils who achieve strongly across a broad curriculum.
This is particularly important because it reflects:
Cundall Manor School’s Class of 2025 have set a challenging benchmark for our younger pupils with an excellent set of GCSE results. The number of the highest grades (9s) achieved has doubled compared to last year, while the proportion of top grades (7–9) has risen sharply from 30% in 2024 to 42% in 2025. The overall pass rate reached 87%, significantly above the national average.
The average Cundall Manor grade had a value added score of 1.1, meaning our grades were on average more than one full grade higher than the most likely outcome projected by a National data survey (CAT4). Each Cundall pupil sits a series of CAT4 tests in Year 7 and Year 9 that give feedback on individual strengths and areas for development. In some subjects pupils achieved three grades above their projections.
This year, every Year 11 pupil at Cundall passed English Language GCSE (compared to the national average of 61%). The same success was seen in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Art, Computer Science, Drama, Design Technology, Geography, History and Music.
There is strong demand for Cundall pupils in sixth form settings across North Yorkshire and beyond. Among the many success stories are:
Jack, who achieved six grade 9s, including Maths, and will be joining St Peter’s, York.
Annabel (Joint Head Girl), who has her sights set on a career as a professional footballer, will study A level PE, Biology, Geography and Psychology – subjects in which she achieved top grades of 9s and 8s.
Ava, who achieved four grade 9s and three grade 8s, is heading to Yarm to study Biology, Chemistry and History at A level.
Several pupils will move on to Ripon Grammar School, including Millie (Joint Head Girl), who gained 11 GCSEs, and Andrew, an aspiring engineer who achieved grade 9s in DT and Physics.
“It is important for our pupils to be able to obtain these top grades, as many are hoping to join competitive courses at the best independent and state settings. When you meet our senior students, it is often easy to forget they are only 16. They are confident and caring young women and men who are looking forward to the next stage of their education. They have all been given leadership opportunities by the Cundall team, and the unique and intimate experience at the school has tested them with a range of challenges both inside and outside the classroom. This will allow them to thrive in their Sixth Form or College studies. We all look forward to seeing where their journey takes them.”
“We are thrilled that our pupils’ positive attitude to learning and their hard work have paid off, resulting in a set of achievements that every one of them should be proud of.”
Our purpose is to provide a happy, safe and stimulating environment where all pupils are valued and achievements are celebrated. With small class sizes, personalised support and expert teaching across a broad curriculum, each child is empowered to reach their full potential.
