Bardsey Primary Academy, Leeds
Bardsey Primary Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Leeds, part of The Gorse Academies Trust. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, ended in a report card: 7 strong standard. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 23rd-highest of the 182 schools in Leeds with published results, and 1,757th of 14,452 across England. It was 96% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted report card
- 7 of 7 areas strong or better
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Leeds (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Bardsey Primary Academy in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 16 June 2026 inspection grades Bardsey Primary Academy on 7 areas: 7 strong standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils achieve very well across the school curriculum."
Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders demonstrate a clear intention to make the school a place that pupils want to come to."
Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders have developed an ambitious, rich and well-structured curriculum that is designed to develop deep thinking and reflection."
Early years - Strong standard. "Leaders prioritise the early years because they know that giving children the best start to their education is crucial for future success."
Inclusion - Strong standard. "Before and during pupils' time at school, leaders liaise with families, professionals and external agencies to help pupils achieve their best."
Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders have overseen considerable changes to the school in recent years, including the academisation process."
Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders work tirelessly to provide meaningful opportunities and experiences tailored to the context of the school."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should embed the recent developments in the personal development offer to fully deliver their vision of preparing pupils for adulthood".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Results
In 2025, 86% of Year 6 pupils at Bardsey Primary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 93% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 76% in Leeds and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (92% in reading, 92% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Bardsey Primary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 17 families put Bardsey Primary Academy as their first choice and 62 named it as one of their preferences, for 25 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Bardsey Primary Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Bardsey Primary Academy are Collingham Lady Elizabeth Hastings Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (1.9 miles, Good, 86% reading, 93% maths); Thorner Church of England Primary School (2.2 miles, Good, 88% reading, 92% maths); Shadwell Primary School (2.6 miles, Requires improvement, 81% reading, 85% maths); and Harewood Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School (2.7 miles, Good, 100% reading, 100% maths).
Bardsey Primary Academy's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Collingham Lady Elizabeth Hastings Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolThorner Church of England Primary SchoolShadwell Primary SchoolHarewood Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
The trust
Bardsey Primary Academy is one of 15 schools run by The Gorse Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 54% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
30 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Bardsey Primary Academy (as of April 2026): 97% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 33% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (33%).
Who goes there
5.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 4.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (82%), Asian (7%) and Mixed (7%).
In 2026, 41 pupils (19.7%) received SEN support and 1 (0.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Bardsey Primary Academy.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Woodacre Green (at), 330 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Bardsey Primary Academy stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
Bardsey Primary Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards met
- AchievementStrong standard
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
- Early yearsStrong standard
- InclusionStrong standard
- Leadership and governanceStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
Safeguarding standards: met
Bardsey Primary Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in March 2023. Before that, as Bardsey Primary School (URN 107868), it was rated Good in February 2013.
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at Bardsey Primary Academy
Pupils thrive within this friendly, nurturing community. This starts in the Reception Year where children are deeply engrossed in their learning. They access an ambitious curriculum and receive appropriate support from dedicated members of staff. Children are articulate, confident and highly sociable, playing alongside each other in the well-designed outdoor provision. Pupils throughout school love learning and apply themselves diligently to their tasks in class. This is due to the way in which staff teach the curriculum. The curriculum is specifically designed to develop deep thinking and reflection. Staff skilfully adjust activities to reduce barriers to learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, pupils are very well prepared for their next steps in education and achieve above national averages by the end of Year 6. The school's values of ambition, creativity, unity and curiosity positively prepare pupils for life. Pupils are ambitious for themselves and others. They show independence by using well-developed strategies, such as helping each other with spelling, so that they do not have to rely on staff support. Pupils feel safe because the relationships within school and with their peers are very positive. Pupils consistently behave well in school. They thrive academically and emotionally because of embedded routines and the way in which the environment supports calm behaviour. Many pupils use the sensory garden as an area to relax in during breaktimes. This is making a positive difference to their mood and wellbeing. Bullying is rare. Leaders and staff deal swiftly with incidents of poor or unkind behaviour. Pupils are punctual and attend school regularly. Pupils access a rich personal development programme, which contributes very well to building their understanding of relationships and the world around them. Pupils take part in many enrichment activities, such as music tuition, beekeeping, karate and astronomy. They enjoy the variety of the extended school offer.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should embed the recent developments in the personal development offer to fully deliver their vision of preparing pupils for adulthood.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 16 June 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
At a Glance
5.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
30 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 92% to 86% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 93% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 83% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.7
Avg class size
30.3
Infant (KS1)
29.3
KS2
7
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Bardsey Primary Academy
Newsletter - 4 September
4 Sep 2026
Newsletter - 10 July
10 Jul 2026
Newsletter - 12 June
12 Jun 2026
Newsletter - 15 May
15 May 2026
Newsletter - March 20
20 Mar 2026
Newsletter - March 05
5 Mar 2026
From Bardsey Primary Academy's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Bardsey Primary Academy
Term dates
Bardsey Primary Academy is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Leeds's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Bardsey Primary Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Bardsey Primary Academy is in Leeds; for families living there:
Apply to Leeds for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Leeds is 18.5 (the median across 308 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Bardsey Primary Academy
Will you get a place at Bardsey Primary Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Bardsey Primary Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Bardsey Primary Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Bardsey Primary Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Leeds, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Bardsey Primary Academy for 2023 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Leeds got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
96%
Near capacity
201 pupils
209 places
8 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Leeds
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Leeds
Across Leeds council
Places available
10,125
Applications
8,039
Got 1st preference
92.4%
Got preferred school
99.0%
All primary applications across Leeds council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
41
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
20.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
208
Total Pupils
103
Boys
105
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
18.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,115
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,955
Per pupil
£1093k
Total funding
£12k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.6%
Overall absence
7.1%
Persistent absence
182
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Bardsey Primary Academy
What are SATs results like at Bardsey Primary Academy?
Of the pupils at Bardsey Primary Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 86% reached the expected standard in reading and 93% did so in maths.
What is Bardsey Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?
Bardsey Primary Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in March 2023. Before that, as Bardsey Primary School (URN 107868), it was rated Good in February 2013.
What is the catchment area for Bardsey Primary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Bardsey Primary Academy is oversubscribed, Leeds allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Bardsey Primary Academy?
Bardsey Primary Academy was close to full in 2025, at 96% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Bardsey Primary Academy?
Classes at Bardsey Primary Academy average 29.7 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Bardsey Primary Academy?
Bardsey Primary Academy has around 208 pupils on roll. 6% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Bardsey Primary Academy?
3.6% of sessions were missed at Bardsey Primary Academy in 2024/25. 7.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Bardsey Primary Academy?
Apply through Leeds's coordinated admissions process, naming Bardsey Primary Academy on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Bardsey Primary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Leeds is 18.5 (the median across 308 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Bardsey Primary Academy?
Bardsey Primary Academy is at Woodacre Lane, Bardsey, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS17 9DG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)