East Bierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

East Bierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is performing at the expected standard overall, with safeguarding standards met. Since the previous inspection, leaders have improved the school in all areas. The curriculum is well planned and sequenced, phonics is taught well, early years provision is ambitious, inclusion is a positive strength, and staff feel well supported. Pupils generally achieve outcomes close to the national average, with particular strength in the Year 4 multiplication tables check. Behaviour is good, relationships are warm, and pupils are polite and respectful. There are still important areas for development. Writing outcomes by the end of Year 6 have been below national expectations, although they are improving, and some older pupils have gaps in prior knowledge, handwriting and spelling that limit the depth of their learning. Disadvantaged pupils' outcomes and attendance remain below national averages, and leaders acknowledge that their attendance strategy needs refining to reduce absence for these pupils. Some pupils also lack secure understanding of fundamental British values, protected characteristics and wider risks outside school. The school has a new headteacher and chair of governors since the last inspection, and most governors are new.

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open and positive safeguarding culture.
• Leaders have improved the school in all areas since the last inspection.
• The curriculum is well planned and sequenced, identifying important knowledge and vocabulary.
• Consistent lesson routines are evident across the school.
• Effective professional development is helping staff develop their skills.
• Phonics is taught well, and pupils enjoy reading regularly.
• Early years provision is ambitious, well sequenced, and prepares children well for Year 1.
• There is a positive culture of inclusion with high expectations for all pupils.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are generally supported well.
• Pupils behave well, low-level disruption is rare, and bullying is uncommon.
• Pupils are polite, respectful and tolerant, and enjoy learning about different faiths and cultures.
• Leaders provide a wide range of clubs, enrichment activities and leadership roles.
• Governors fulfil their roles well and provide appropriate challenge to leaders.
• Staff are proud to work at the school and feel well supported and valued.
• Year 4 pupils typically achieve above the national average in the multiplication tables check.
• Attendance is typically in line with the national average and has improved over time.
• Disadvantaged pupils' attendance and persistent absence rates have improved.

Areas for Improvement

• Outcomes in writing by the end of Year 6 have been below national expectations, although there has been some improvement.
• Some older pupils have insecure prior knowledge, which limits how deeply they can connect and build on new learning.
• Some older pupils have gaps in handwriting and spelling, and leaders' expectations for writing are not embedded consistently.
• Disadvantaged pupils' outcomes are below national averages in combined reading, writing and mathematics.
• The attendance of disadvantaged pupils has been below the national average over time.
• Leaders acknowledge they could take more timely action when attendance starts to decline.
• Leaders need to develop and refine the attendance strategy to reduce absence for disadvantaged pupils.
• Some pupils do not have a secure understanding of fundamental British values and protected characteristics.
• Older pupils' knowledge of some wider risks they may face outside school is not as developed.
• The pride pupils take in the presentation of their work is variable.
• Leaders acknowledge that whole-school priorities could be more precise.

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 East Bierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School attended 95.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.6% 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, 0.5% of pupils at East Bierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary 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 East Bierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School had 22.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.4% 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, 24.5% of pupils at East Bierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.5% 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 East Bierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School received £6,571 and spent £6,495 for each of its 204 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £66,000 (£326 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).

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What is East Bierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for East Bierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was East Bierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

East Bierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does East Bierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School have?

East Bierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School has 204 pupils on roll.

What age range does East Bierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School cover?

East Bierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are East Bierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 71% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is East Bierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School?

East Bierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is at South View Road, East Bierley, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD4 6PH.