Ghyll Royd
HomePrep SchoolThe School Day

The School Day

A Day in the Life at Ghyll Royd School

From the moment the day begins, children at Ghyll Royd are immersed in a dynamic, supportive, and enriching environment. With small class sizes, specialist teaching, and access to state-of-the-art facilities, each child receives the individual attention and exciting learning opportunities they deserve.

  • School Day: 8:30am – 3:40pm
  • Breakfast Club: Available from 7:30am
  • After School Care & Clubs: Available until 6:00pm

Our wraparound care and extensive range of before and after school clubs ensure that your child’s day is not only productive, but full of inspiration and creativity.

A Curriculum That Grows With Your Child

At Ghyll Royd, our academic programme is about so much more than knowledge. We blend high standards with skills for life, fostering independent thinking, creativity, resilience, empathy, and collaboration. This holistic approach ensures our children leave us ready to thrive in senior school and beyond.

“Pupils of all ages, including children in the early years, benefit from a wide-ranging and stimulating curriculum taught by knowledgeable staff.” ISI, 2025

A Curriculum That Goes Further

Our curriculum is built upon:

  • The Learning Challenge Curriculum
  • Creative Arts Integration
  • Outdoor Learning & Life Skills
  • A Culture of Curiosity and Celebration

We create meaningful opportunities for children to discover joy in reading, confidence in debate, expression through performance, and depth in critical thinking.

“At all ages, leaders give pupils opportunities to take on positions of responsibility to prepare them to be active citizens.” ISI, 2025 

The Learning Challenge Curriculum

Our bespoke Learning Challenge Curriculum goes above and beyond the National Curriculum, designed to make learning exciting, immersive, and truly engaging. Children play an active role in shaping their own learning, encouraging deeper thinking and real curiosity.

Our experienced teachers work closely with the Deputy Head to track individual progress, ensuring that parents remain involved in their child’s journey and that each child feels inspired, challenged, and celebrated.

“Knowledgeable teachers apply appropriate strategies and make use of pertinent resources consistently effectively to support pupils’ progress and engagement in lessons.” ISI, 2025

Extra-Curricular Adventures – For Every Child

At Ghyll Royd, we believe education is a whole experience. Our wide and varied extra-curricular programme allows children to discover new passions, hone their talents, and build friendships across year groups.

We’ve been awarded:

Gold Kitemark – for excellence in sport and participation
Silver Artsmark Award – for creative and cultural enrichment

A Sample of Our Clubs:

  • Sensible Soccer
  • Music Ensemble & Music Theory
  • Ballet & Gymnastics
  • Art Club & Clay (Pottery) Club
  • Mindfulness & Lego Club
  • Cricket Nets, Basketball
  • Exam Preparation (11+ & SATs)

We even offer some fun options for parents!

Academic Success – Every Child, Every Confidence

We are delighted to celebrate the exceptional achievements of our pupils. Children from the 2024/25 cohort gained places, some with scholarship offers, at leading secondary schools, including: 

  • Ilkley Grammar School
  • Bradford Grammar School
  • Woodhouse Grove School
  • Upper Wharfedale School
  • St Mary’s Menston
“Teachers support pupils to become resilient learners with the ability to work both collaboratively and on their own. Pupils learn to conduct independent research, such as about different history topics and then explain their work in question-and-answer sessions with their peers.” ISI, 2025

Outstanding SATs Results

Ghyll Royd pupils consistently perform well above national standards.

Local & National Comparisons (taken from published 2024 KS2 SAT data)
MET ARE
Reading, Writing & Maths		 ABOVE ARE
Reading, Writing & Maths		 Reading
(scaled score)		 Mathematics
(scaled score)
Local Authority 59% 6% 104 104
All England 61% 8% 105 104
Ghyll Royd 2022 100% 46% 113 108
Ghyll Royd 2023 100% 20% 108 107
Ghyll Royd 2024 100% 18% 111 106
Ghyll Royd 2025* 75% 25% 108 106
4 year average 94% 27% 110 107
Non-statutory KS1 SAT results (2022-2025)
MET ARE
Reading, Writing & Maths		 ABOVE ARE
Reading, Writing & Maths		 Reading
(scaled score)		 Mathematics
(scaled score)
2022 93% 13% 106 105
2023 90% 30% 107 109
2024 100% 9% 107 108
2025* 83% 33% 105 107

* As an independent school, participation in SATs is at the discretion of the Headteacher. In 2025, our pupils completed exams, using SATs papers, as a way to support their learning and benchmark progress. These were assessed internally and complemented the preparation they were already undertaking for their chosen secondary school entry exams, helping to build confidence and readiness for the next stage of their education.

National average (2023): 59% met expected standard in reading, writing, and maths.
Ghyll Royd: 99.8% – a testament to our high expectations and supportive environment.

Thanks to our personalised teaching and Learning Challenge Curriculum, children confidently move on to their first-choice secondary schools, including selective grammar and independent schools, often entering with scholarships or into advanced academic streams.

Leavers’ Destinations – Confidently Moving Forward

As our pupils prepare for life after Ghyll Royd, they do so with the skills, values, and self-assurance to embrace new opportunities and environments. We work closely with parents to support every step of the transition process, from 11+ exam preparation to school selection guidance.

Our goal is simple: to ensure each child leaves Ghyll Royd happy, well-prepared, and full of potential, ready for the next stage of their educational journey.

Leavers’ Destinations 2024-2025

Ilkley Grammar 3
Ermysteds Grammar 2
Woodhouse Grove 2
Upper Wharfedale 1

Leavers’ Destinations 2023-2024

Bradford Grammar 3
Ilkley Grammar 3
Prince Henry’s 2
St Mary’s 1
Upper Wharfedale 1
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