Birkby Junior School

Birkby Junior School is performing well overall, achieving a 'Good' rating in its recent inspection. The school provides a supportive and safe environment where pupils feel valued and respected, which reflects its strong community ties. With a broad and ambitious curriculum, the school ensures that most pupils develop substantial knowledge across various subjects, though a few subjects are still new and present some gaps in students' understanding. The leadership and management of the school have been recognized as outstanding, with a clear commitment to professional development and enhancing the educational experience for all students.

Strengths

• Outstanding behaviour and attitude of pupils
• High-quality professional development for teachers
• Strong focus on developing a love of reading
• Exceptional support for pupils with SEND
• High staff morale and commitment to safeguarding
• Extensive opportunities for pupils' wider development

Areas for Improvement

• Implementation of the curriculum in a small number of subjects is less effective

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Birkby Junior School attended 95.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.4% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.9% of pupils at Birkby Junior School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Birkby Junior School had 20.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 2.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 15.7% of pupils at Birkby Junior School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Birkby Junior School received £7,359 and spent £7,143 for each of its 541 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £305,000 (£563 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Huddersfield · Kirklees local authority: places and applications

What is Birkby Junior School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Birkby Junior School is Good, from an inspection in October 2023.

When was Birkby Junior School last inspected by Ofsted?

Birkby Junior School was last inspected in October 2023.

How many pupils does Birkby Junior School have?

Birkby Junior School has 541 pupils on roll.

What age range does Birkby Junior School cover?

Birkby Junior School for pupils aged 7 to 11.

What are Birkby Junior School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 63% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Birkby Junior School?

Birkby Junior School is at Mead Street, Fartown, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD1 6HE.