Bedford Drive Primary School, Birkenhead
Bedford Drive Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Birkenhead. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2022. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 8th-highest of the 12 schools in Birkenhead with published results, and 12,897th of 14,452 across England. It was 94% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Wirral (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Bedford Drive Primary School in detail
Bedford Drive Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "At Bedford Drive Primary, we aim for all children to grow, learn, and flourish academically, ensuring that as part of their wider education they become active, contributing members of society. We want them to be Successful Learners, Confident Individuals, and Responsible Citizens."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include athletics, gymnastics, basketball, multi-sports, cross-country, chess, eco club, art and homework club.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 70% of Year 6 pupils at Bedford Drive Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 50% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 73% and 69% in Wirral and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (66% in reading, 51% in maths).
Getting a place at Bedford Drive Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 36 families put Bedford Drive Primary School as their first choice and 82 named it as one of their preferences, for 40 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 Bedford Drive Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Bedford Drive Primary School are Well Lane Primary School (0.5 miles); Devonshire Park Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 79% reading, 68% maths); St Anne's Catholic Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 84% reading, 77% maths); and Mersey Park Primary School (0.6 miles, Outstanding, 88% reading, 86% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Bedford Drive Primary School.
Well Lane Primary SchoolDevonshire Park Primary SchoolSt Anne's Catholic Primary SchoolMersey Park Primary School
Who goes there
49.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 7.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (83%) and Asian (9%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Rock Ferry Rail Station, about 940 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
19 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bebington Road (adjacent), 150 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 334 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Wirral (155), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Bedford Drive Primary School issued 20 suspensions, 4.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Bedford Drive Primary School are Prenton High School for Girls (under 0.1 miles), St John Plessington Catholic College (1 mile), Co-op Academy Bebington (1.2 miles) and Wirral Grammar School for Girls (1.5 miles).
Prenton High School for GirlsSt John Plessington Catholic CollegeCo-op Academy BebingtonWirral Grammar School for Girls
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2022 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Bedford Drive Primary School creates a welcoming and safe environment where pupils thrive academically and socially. Teachers are highly valued by pupils for their consistent support, and the school has built strong relationships within the community. Pupils develop real enthusiasm for learning, particularly reading, and benefit from excellent behaviour routines and leadership opportunities.
Key Strengths
- Reading is a priority with well-trained staff delivering the curriculum effectively and pupils developing a genuine love of books
- Strong behaviour and attitudes across the school with clear routines, high expectations, and calm movement around the building
- Effective support for pupils with SEND, with staff well-equipped to identify their needs and provide highly effective help for those with the greatest need
- Positive community relationships with leaders building strong links with local organisations and families
- Wide range of opportunities for pupils to develop leadership skills and interests through roles like school councillors, play leaders, and sporting activities
Areas for Improvement
- Some subjects still lack clarity about what knowledge pupils should learn and when, leading to small gaps in learning
- Teachers need better support in adapting curriculum delivery for some pupils with SEND so they can access the full ambitious curriculum
- Small number of pupils have persistent absence issues that cause them to miss important learning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff receiving regular training to recognise signs of harm, strong knowledge of pupils and families, and pupils learning through the curriculum how to keep themselves safe including online.
Extracurricular Activities
sporting activities, musical instruments, coding, cross-country running, school council, play leaders, well-being warriors, fundraising activities
Bedford Drive Primary School is rated Good overall. Pupils are proud to attend, feel safe and well cared for, and enjoy strong relationships with their teachers who set high expectations.
At a Glance
49.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 66% to 70% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 50% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 58% to 52% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.6
Avg class size
26.0
Infant (KS1)
28.8
KS2
9
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Bedford Drive Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Bedford Drive Primary School.
- Tennis Vision Holiday Club880m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Bedford Drive Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Wirral. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Bedford Drive Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Bedford Drive Primary School is in Wirral; for families living there:
Apply to Wirral for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 25
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 19 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
10 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 Wirral is 15 (the median across 136 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 Bedford Drive Primary School
Will you get a place at Bedford Drive Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Bedford Drive Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Bedford Drive Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Bedford Drive Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Wirral, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Bedford Drive Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Wirral 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.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
94%
Near capacity
395 pupils
420 places
25 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Birkenhead
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Birkenhead
Across Wirral council
Places available
3,820
Applications
3,017
Got 1st preference
95.3%
Got preferred school
98.9%
All primary applications across Wirral council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(10)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
62
SEN Support
18
EHC Plans
19.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
406
Total Pupils
205
Boys
201
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
22
Teachers
18.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,958
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,891
Per pupil
£2777k
Total funding
£297k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.4%
Overall absence
18.2%
Persistent absence
347
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Questions parents ask about Bedford Drive Primary School
What are SATs results like at Bedford Drive Primary School?
Of the pupils at Bedford Drive Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 70% reached the expected standard in reading and 50% did so in maths.
What is Bedford Drive Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Bedford Drive Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2022.
What is the catchment area for Bedford Drive Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Bedford Drive Primary School is oversubscribed, Wirral allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Bedford Drive Primary School?
Bedford Drive Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 94% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Bedford Drive Primary School?
Classes at Bedford Drive Primary School average 27.6 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Bedford Drive Primary School?
Bedford Drive Primary School has around 406 pupils on roll. 49% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Bedford Drive Primary School?
6.4% of sessions were missed at Bedford Drive Primary School in 2024/25. 18.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Bedford Drive Primary School?
Apply through Wirral's coordinated admissions process, naming Bedford Drive Primary School 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.
Does Bedford Drive Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Bedford Drive Primary School: Tennis Vision Holiday Club (880m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
What are Bedford Drive Primary School's term dates?
Bedford Drive Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Wirral. In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near Bedford Drive Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 19 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 10 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 Wirral is 15 (the median across 136 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Bedford Drive Primary School?
Bedford Drive Primary School is at Bedford Drive, Rock Ferry, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH42 6RT.
Sources: Wirral term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)