Rufford Park Primary School

Rufford Park Primary is a happy, inclusive and well-led school where pupils feel safe and achieve well overall. Early years and personal development are particular strengths: children get a nurturing start, language and vocabulary are prioritised, and pupils benefit from a broad personal development offer, enrichment activities and a genuine voice in school life. Behaviour and attendance are positive, with pupils polite, engaged and attendance above national averages; safeguarding standards are met. Across the main areas of education, the school is performing at the expected standard. The curriculum is well sequenced and taught effectively, reading is a strength, and inclusion is a clear priority, including for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils. Published outcomes are generally in line with or above national averages, and the proportion reaching the higher standard at the end of key stage 2 is above average. Leaders know the school well and governance is effective. The main areas for development are the attainment gap for disadvantaged pupils, persistent absence for disadvantaged pupils, inconsistent handwriting and presentation among older pupils, and ensuring activities consistently build on what pupils already know.

Strengths

• Nurturing early years provision with clear routines and strong support for independence
• Carefully sequenced early years curriculum, including the bespoke 'Lost Words' language focus
• High-quality adult interactions and questioning that extend children's vocabulary and thinking
• Effective use of starting-point checks to shape provision and provide early support
• Positive parent partnerships and strong communication about children's learning
• Pupils have a genuine voice through surveys, school council and leadership roles
• Comprehensive personal development offer covering wellbeing, safety, democracy and diversity
• Wide enrichment, clubs, trips and community projects that build confidence and aspiration
• Effective pastoral support and strong work with families, especially for vulnerable pupils
• Pupils are confident, articulate, resilient and demonstrate exemplary behaviour
• Attendance is consistently above national averages and improving for disadvantaged pupils
• Well-sequenced curriculum taught effectively, with pupils engaged and excited to learn
• Strong reading culture and phonics taught with fidelity and targeted intervention
• Positive culture of inclusion with prompt identification of barriers and bespoke support
• Effective use of disadvantaged funding for pastoral care, attendance and engagement
• Support for pupils known to social care is a strength
• Inclusive leadership, clear systems and robust governance support and challenge
• Published outcomes generally in line with or above national averages, with higher-standard KS2 above average

Areas for Improvement

• Disadvantaged pupils' attainment is below national averages in combined reading, writing and mathematics, reading and writing.
• Persistent absence and attendance for disadvantaged pupils require continued sharp focus.
• Some older pupils' handwriting and presentation are inconsistent across the curriculum, and adults do not always model accurate letter formation.
• Learning activities are not always precisely matched to pupils' prior knowledge, limiting how securely they build on what they already know.

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 Rufford Park Primary School attended 95.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.6% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Rufford Park 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 Rufford Park Primary School had 21.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 16.3% of pupils at Rufford Park Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.5% 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 Rufford Park Primary School received £7,237 and spent £7,304 for each of its 325 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £67,000 (-£206 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 Leeds · Leeds local authority: places and applications

Rufford Park Primary School is part of Aireborough Learning Partnership, which runs 6 schools. The nearest others:

• Rawdon Littlemoor Primary School Leeds
• Yeadon Primary School Leeds
• Queensway Primary School Select
• Guiseley Primary School Leeds
• Tranmere Park Primary School Leeds

What is Rufford Park Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Rufford Park Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in October 2026.

When was Rufford Park Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Rufford Park Primary School was last inspected in October 2026.

How many pupils does Rufford Park Primary School have?

Rufford Park Primary School has 325 pupils on roll.

What age range does Rufford Park Primary School cover?

Rufford Park Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Rufford Park Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Rufford Park Primary School?

Rufford Park Primary School is at Rufford Avenue, Yeadon, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS19 7QR.