Merlin Top Primary Academy, Keighley

In 2025, 82% of Year 6 pupils at Merlin Top Primary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 91% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 73% in Bradford and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 75% in reading and 84% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 43 families put Merlin Top Primary Academy as their first choice and 73 named it as one of their preferences, for 45 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.

The nearest other state primary schools to Merlin Top Primary Academy are Our Lady of Victories Catholic School (0.2 miles, Good, 76% reading, 93% maths); Victoria Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 70% reading, 70% maths); Keighley St Andrew's CofE Primary School and Nursery (0.5 miles, Good, 56% reading, 65% maths); and Beckfoot Nessfield (0.6 miles, Requires improvement, 77% reading, 64% maths).

Merlin Top Primary Academy's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Merlin Top Primary Academy is one of 30 schools run by Northern Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 78% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

47 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Merlin Top Primary Academy (as of September 2025): 89% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 71% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (94%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (71%).

52.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 79 pupils (23%) received SEN support and 20 (5.8%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.

Merlin Top Primary Academy had 19 teachers in 2026, one for every 16 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Keighley Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.

16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Guard House Ring, 150 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Merlin Top Primary Academy stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Merlin Top Primary Academy issued 33 suspensions, 10 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Merlin Top Primary Academy are The Holy Family Catholic School, a Voluntary Academy (0.7 miles); Carlton Keighley (1 mile); and Beckfoot Oakbank (1 mile).