Bardsey Primary Academy

Bardsey Primary Academy is performing at a strong standard across all inspected areas, with safeguarding standards met. Pupils achieve very well across the curriculum, and by the end of Year 6 their attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is consistently above national averages, including for disadvantaged pupils. Attendance and behaviour are also strong: rates are above national averages, pupils are highly positive and respectful, and bullying is rare. The school benefits from an ambitious, well-structured curriculum that is taught consistently well, strong early years provision, and highly effective inclusion and pastoral support. Leadership and governance are highly effective, with considerable recent changes including academisation and strong support from The GORSE Academies Trust. Governors and trust leaders provide robust oversight, and staff receive high-quality research-based training. The personal development offer is rich, with enrichment such as astronomy, beekeeping, woodland projects and Mandarin, and pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. The school is a small primary academy with low proportions of pupils eligible for free school meals and with EHC plans, and it uses no alternative provision. The main development point is to embed recent developments in the personal development offer so that leaders fully deliver their vision of preparing pupils for adulthood. The report also notes that leaders are looking to further develop the careers offer. Overall, this is a very positive inspection with no graded areas below strong standard.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve very well across the curriculum, with strong foundations in phonics, handwriting and number.
• End of key stage 2 attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is consistently above national averages.
• Disadvantaged pupils outperform other disadvantaged pupils nationally.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities learn well due to close attention to reducing barriers.
• Attendance rates are consistently above national averages and leaders manage attendance very effectively.
• Pupils display highly positive attitudes to learning, pride in their work and sustained concentration.
• Behaviour is well managed through a consistently and fairly applied policy, and bullying is rare.
• Leaders have developed an ambitious, rich and well-structured curriculum that promotes deep thinking.
• Teaching is consistently strong, with effective checks on understanding and swift support for gaps.
• The phonics programme is taught very well and supports reading across the curriculum.
• Early years provision is highly effective, with high expectations and strong development of early skills.
• Inclusion is strong: leaders identify needs quickly and provide bespoke support for pupils and families.
• Pupil premium funding is used effectively, and disadvantaged pupils are fully included in school life.
• Pastoral support is highly effective and ensures pupils have someone to turn to when needed.
• Leadership and governance are highly effective, with strong trust support and robust oversight.
• Staff benefit from high-quality, research-based training and highly visible leadership.
• Governors promote staff wellbeing and manage workload effectively.
• The personal development programme offers rich enrichment such as astronomy, beekeeping and woodland projects.
• Pupils develop a positive understanding of cultural diversity and fundamental British values.
• Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain and feel safe because relationships are very positive.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture where concerns are actively identified and managed.
• Parents and carers are extremely positive about the school's work.

Areas for Improvement

• Leaders should embed recent developments in the personal development offer to fully deliver their vision of preparing pupils for adulthood.
• The careers offer is still being further developed.

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 Bardsey Primary Academy attended 96.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.1% 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 Bardsey Primary Academy 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 Bardsey Primary Academy had 21.0 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, 19.7% of pupils at Bardsey Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.5% 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 2024–25 Bardsey Primary Academy received £5,541 and spent £7,215 for each of its 202 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £53,000 (£261 per pupil).

Across all 14 schools of The Gorse Academies Trust, income was £7,876 and spending £7,672 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 Leeds · Leeds local authority: places and applications

Bardsey Primary Academy is part of The Gorse Academies Trust, which runs 14 schools. The nearest others:

• Boston Spa Academy Wetherby
• John Smeaton Academy Leeds
• Hillcrest Academy Leeds
• Little London Academy Leeds
• Richmond Hill Academy Leeds
• Leeds Mathematics School Leeds
• The Ruth Gorse Academy Leeds
• Ryecroft Academy Leeds
• The Farnley Academy Leeds
• Elliott Hudson College Leeds

What is Bardsey Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Bardsey Primary Academy is Strong standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Bardsey Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Bardsey Primary Academy was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Bardsey Primary Academy have?

Bardsey Primary Academy has 208 pupils on roll.

What age range does Bardsey Primary Academy cover?

Bardsey Primary Academy for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are Bardsey Primary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Bardsey Primary Academy?

Bardsey Primary Academy is at Woodacre Lane, Bardsey, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS17 9DG.