Birklands Primary School, Mansfield

Ofsted's report card from its 7 July 2026 inspection grades Birklands Primary School on 7 areas: 5 strong standard and 2 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Strong standard. "High aspirations and a determination for every pupil to succeed shapes every aspect of the school's work."

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Trusting relationships with families sit at the heart of the school's work to improve attendance."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Inclusion shapes daily life at Birklands."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "A clear sense of purpose drives the work of leaders and governors at Birklands."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders want pupils to leave Birklands with academic success and much more."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "A determination to provide pupils with the very best education sits behind leaders' recent work on curriculum development."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders have strengthened the early years curriculum so that it focuses clearly on the knowledge and skills that children need to develop over time."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue to strengthen the quality of teaching across the curriculum by ensuring that teachers consistently make effective decisions about what, when and how to teach, and adapt learning precisely to meet the needs of pupils"; "Leaders should ensure that the outdoor provision in the early years is of the same high quality as the indoor provision, enabling children to develop and learn equally well in both environments".

In its own words: "At Birklands Primary School, we strive to be a transformational community where every child thrives academically, socially and personally. We embrace our vital role in shaping futures, ensuring each pupil enjoys a rich, rewarding education that prepares them confidently for the next stage of learning and for life beyond school."

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care, from £3.00 per day.

Coming up: an open day on Friday 29 January 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils at Birklands Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 78% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 76% in Nottinghamshire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 71% in reading and 76% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 39 families put Birklands Primary School as their first choice and 95 named it as one of their preferences, for 39 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Birklands Primary School are Hetts Lane Infant and Nursery School (0.1 miles, Good); Sherwood Junior School (0.3 miles, Good, 53% reading, 56% maths); Church Vale Primary School and Foundation Unit (0.8 miles, Good, 79% reading, 83% maths); and Netherfield Infant School (Welbeck Federation of Schools) (1.3 miles, Good).

Birklands Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 2 schools.

Birklands Primary School is one of 17 schools run by Nova Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 63% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

5.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 22 pupils (6.6%) received SEN support and 9 (2.7%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Shirebrook Rail Station, about 2.1 miles away in a straight line.

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Woodland Grove (adjacent), 30 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Birklands Primary School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Birklands Primary School issued 1 suspension, 0.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.