Shaw Cross Infant and Nursery School, Dewsbury

Ofsted's report card from its 12 May 2026 inspection grades Shaw Cross Infant and Nursery School on 7 areas: 5 expected standard and 2 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils achieve very well in phonics."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The curriculum has improved in recent years."

Early years - Expected standard. "Staff in the nursery quickly build positive relationships with new arrivals."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have created a culture where all pupils are included in school life."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have recently refined the personal, social and health education curriculum."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "There is variation in how well different groups of pupils attend school."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Governors, over time, have not held school leaders to account well enough."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that teachers consistently use effective strategies to check pupils' understanding and ensure that knowledge is embedded before moving on to new learning"; "Leaders should ensure that they maintain their focus on attendance so that pupils' rates of persistent absence reduce over time"; "Leaders should ensure that the revised systems of governance are implemented effectively so that they can hold leaders to account more rigorously and maintain high standards".

For September 2026 entry, 58 families put Shaw Cross Infant and Nursery School as their first choice and 111 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 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 Shaw Cross Infant and Nursery School are Hanging Heaton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior and Infant School (0.2 miles, Good, 90% reading, 85% maths); Bywell Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School (0.5 miles, Good, 89% reading, 86% maths); Lydgate Junior and Infant School (0.6 miles, Good, 77% reading, 84% maths); and Mill Lane Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 75% reading, 85% maths).

25 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Shaw Cross Infant and Nursery School (as of September 2026): 84% would recommend the school, 92% say their child is happy there and 0% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (92%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (0%).

2.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (64%), Asian (28%) and Mixed (5%).

Shaw Cross Infant and Nursery School had 11 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 Batley Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.

27 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Leeds Road (w bound), 110 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Shaw Cross Infant and Nursery School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

Shaw Cross Infant and Nursery School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.