Shipley CofE Primary School

Shipley C of E Primary School has shown notable improvement since the headteacher and deputy headteacher took charge in September 2021, indicating strong leadership within the multi-academy trust context. The school promotes a caring environment, emphasizing strong relationships and core values among pupils. The quality of education provided is good, with a well-sequenced and ambitious curriculum designed to foster independent learning skills in mathematics and early reading. However, challenges remain, particularly concerning attendance rates and the need for more effective assessment in foundation subjects.

Strengths

• Strong and caring relationships between staff and pupils
• Well-sequenced and ambitious curriculum in all subjects
• Effective teaching of early reading with regular checks on phonics
• Good arrangements for safeguarding and effective training for staff
• Structured programme for personal development equipping pupils for modern life
• High expectations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities

Areas for Improvement

• High level of persistent absence among students
• Assessment activities in foundation subjects are variable
• Reading materials in subjects like geography and history are not accessible for all pupils
• Some pupils struggle to settle quickly after social times

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 Shipley CofE Primary School attended 94.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.5% 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, 2.6% of pupils at Shipley CofE 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 Shipley CofE Primary School had 19.1 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, 14.1% of pupils at Shipley CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 9.9% 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 2024–25 Shipley CofE Primary School received £8,731 and spent £8,666 for each of its 187 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £39,000 (£211 per pupil).

Across all 21 schools of Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust, income was £8,537 and spending £8,479 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Shipley · Bradford local authority: places and applications

Shipley CofE Primary School is part of Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust, which runs 21 schools. The nearest others:

• Wycliffe CofE Primary School Shipley
• Christ Church Church of England Academy Shipley
• Belle Vue Girls' Academy Bradford
• St Philip's CofE Primary School Bradford
• Bradford Girls' Grammar School Bradford
• Lady Royd Primary School Bradford
• Baildon Church of England Primary School Shipley
• Westminster Church of England Primary Academy Bradford
• Immanuel College Bradford
• The Academy At St. James Bradford

What is Shipley CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Shipley CofE Primary School is Good, from an inspection in October 2022.

When was Shipley CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Shipley CofE Primary School was last inspected in October 2022.

How many pupils does Shipley CofE Primary School have?

Shipley CofE Primary School has 213 pupils on roll.

What age range does Shipley CofE Primary School cover?

Shipley CofE Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Shipley CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 43% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Shipley CofE Primary School?

Shipley CofE Primary School is at Otley Road, Shipley, West Yorkshire, BD18 2PT.