Bowling Park Primary School, Bradford
Bowling Park Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Bradford, part of Exceed Academies Trust. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 42nd-highest of the 110 schools in Bradford with published results, and 7,842nd of 14,452 across England. It was 94% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Bradford (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Bowling Park Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 72% of Year 6 pupils at Bowling Park Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 80% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 73% in Bradford and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 82% in reading and 81% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Bowling Park Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 39 families put Bowling Park Primary School as their first choice and 70 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 Bowling Park Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Bowling Park Primary School are St Stephen's CofE Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 67% reading, 60% maths); Newby Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 72% reading, 89% maths); St Matthew's CofE Primary School and Nursery (0.5 miles); and St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy (0.6 miles, 65% reading, 67% maths).
Bowling Park Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
St Stephen's CofE Primary SchoolNewby Primary SchoolSt Matthew's CofE Primary School and NurserySt Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
The trust
Bowling Park Primary School is one of 14 schools run by Exceed Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
25 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Bowling Park Primary School (as of September 2025): 80% would recommend the school, 88% say their child is happy there and 63% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (92%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (63%).
Who goes there
42.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 87.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (51%), Mixed (9%) and Black (8%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bradford Interchange Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Stephen's Road (at), 260 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Bowling Park Primary School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Bowling Park Primary School issued 10 suspensions, 1.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Bowling Park Primary School are Dixons City Academy (0.4 miles), Bronte Girls' Academy (0.6 miles), Bradford Academy (0.6 miles) and Dixons Trinity Academy (0.8 miles).
Dixons City AcademyBronte Girls' AcademyBradford AcademyDixons Trinity Academy
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 · 1 year agoOverall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Bowling Park Primary School has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in September 2022. Before that, as Bowling Park Primary School (URN 107234), it was rated Good in February 2013.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Bowling Park Primary School creates a calm, respectful environment where all pupils are expected to achieve and do well. The school prioritises reading through engaging activities and has strong systems to support pupils with additional needs. Teachers have good subject knowledge and teach a broad curriculum that helps pupils remember important knowledge across all areas of learning.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on reading with a 'Festival of Stories' and systematic phonics approach
- Effective mathematics teaching where pupils build knowledge logically and practise daily
- Broad, well-planned curriculum where pupils remember important knowledge across subjects
- Robust support for pupils with special educational needs working with external professionals
- Improved attendance rates through swift action on low attendance
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers sometimes do not check carefully enough whether pupils have learned new sounds during reading lessons, meaning some pupils don't get the help they need
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school has created an open, positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Festival of Stories, musical performances, art exhibitions, 70 Things to do at Bowling Park Primary School programme, school council, playground improvements, trips to interesting places, breakfast club, health and mental wellbeing activities
Bowling Park Primary School has maintained its good standards since the previous inspection, with pupils learning to be curious and respectful learners in a calm, purposeful atmosphere. The school is ambitious and continues to improve outcomes for all pupils.
At a Glance
42.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
25 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 82% to 72% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 80% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 76% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
25.7
Avg class size
25.1
Infant (KS1)
27.8
KS2
19
Total classes
3 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Bowling Park Primary School
Before and after school care
Bowling Park Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Bradford
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Bowling Park Primary School.
- First Kick Football620m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Bowling Park Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Bowling Park Primary School is in Bradford; for families living there:
- Bradford's school travel policy: Home to school travel and transport policy for children of compulsory school age
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 24
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 12
- Children hurt
- 9
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 24 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 12 serious and 12 slight.
9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 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 Bradford is 30 (the median across 233 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 Bowling Park Primary School
Will you get a place at Bowling Park Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Bowling Park Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Bowling Park Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Bowling Park Primary School.
- Bradford publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Bowling Park Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Bowling Park Primary School for 2023 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Bradford 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
590 pupils
630 places
40 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Bradford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bradford
Across Bradford council
Places available
7,475
Applications
6,301
Got 1st preference
92.3%
Got preferred school
98.6%
All primary applications across Bradford council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
132
SEN Support
22
EHC Plans
25.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
615
Total Pupils
302
Boys
313
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
35
Teachers
17.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,081
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,157
Per pupil
£4231k
Total funding
£371k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.1%
Overall absence
17.3%
Persistent absence
538
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 Bowling Park Primary School
What are SATs results like at Bowling Park Primary School?
Of the pupils at Bowling Park Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 72% reached the expected standard in reading and 80% did so in maths.
What is Bowling Park Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Bowling Park Primary School has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in September 2022. Before that, as Bowling Park Primary School (URN 107234), it was rated Good in February 2013.
What is the catchment area for Bowling Park Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Bowling Park Primary School is oversubscribed, Bradford allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Bowling Park Primary School?
Bowling Park Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 94% of its 630 places.
How big are the classes at Bowling Park Primary School?
Classes at Bowling Park Primary School average 25.7 pupils (2025/26). 3 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Bowling Park Primary School?
Bowling Park Primary School has around 615 pupils on roll. 43% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Bowling Park Primary School?
5.1% of sessions were missed at Bowling Park Primary School in 2024/25. 17.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Bowling Park Primary School?
Apply through Bradford's coordinated admissions process, naming Bowling Park 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 Bowling Park Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Bowling Park Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Bowling Park Primary School: First Kick Football (620m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near Bowling Park Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 24 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 12 serious and 12 slight. 9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 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 Bradford is 30 (the median across 233 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Bowling Park Primary School?
Bowling Park Primary School is at New Cross Street, West Bowling, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD5 8BT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)