Kirkstall Valley Primary School, Leeds

Ofsted's report card from its 3 March 2026 inspection grades Kirkstall Valley Primary School on 7 areas: 3 strong standard and 4 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Strong standard. "As a consequence of the high-quality curriculums being taught effectively, pupils make demonstrable and significant progress."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders have crafted a highly inclusive culture within the school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "There is a high-quality offer for pupils' wider development."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Pupils' behaviour throughout the school is highly positive."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have developed a high-quality, ambitious curriculum in school."

Early years - Expected standard. "The early years provision at Kirkstall Valley Primary School is vibrant and welcoming."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Over time, leaders identify and prioritise key actions for school improvement."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that teachers carefully consider what to teach and the tasks that pupils are given, so that pupils get the opportunities they need to produce work of a consistently high quality and achieve as highly as they are able"; "Leaders should ensure that attendance in school continues to improve so that more pupils benefit from the school's high-quality curriculum offer".

In its own words: "We have worked together to create an authentic vision statement which reflects who we are as a learning community and where we aspire to go: To create a school community which empowers us all to achieve, be resilient and aspirational through opportunity, excellence and compassion."

From the headteacher's welcome: "We believe that primary education is the foundation upon which all future success is built. Our mission is to provide a rigorous, engaging, and inclusive education that equips our children with the tools they need to navigate an ever-changing world. We are a school that values the unique nature of every child."

In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils at Kirkstall Valley Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 83% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 76% in Leeds and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 64% in reading and 61% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 23 families put Kirkstall Valley Primary School as their first choice and 94 named it as one of their preferences, for 28 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Kirkstall Valley Primary School are Burley St Matthias Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 85% reading, 70% maths); Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy (0.4 miles, Good, 65% reading, 68% maths); Beecroft Primary School (0.4 miles, Outstanding, 90% reading, 92% maths); and Armley Park Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 81% reading, 88% maths).

Kirkstall Valley Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

44 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Kirkstall Valley Primary School (as of April 2026): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (86%).

41.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 44.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (43%), Mixed (17%) and Asian (17%).

In 2026, 35 pupils (15.8%) received SEN support and 4 (1.8%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

Kirkstall Valley Primary School had 14 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Burley Park Station, about 710 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Kirkstall Road ASDA, 70 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 586 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Leeds (229), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Kirkstall Valley Primary School issued 1 suspension, 0.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.