Bidston Village CofE (Controlled) Primary School
100%
Capacity
421
Pupils
1.2x
Demand
About Bidston Village CofE (Controlled) Primary School
Bidston Village CofE (Controlled) Primary School’s headline Key Stage 2 results sit well below the Wirral local authority average, which is a stark contrast for parents comparing options. Just 22% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, against a LA average of 53%. That places the school 61st out of 64 primary schools in Wirral, in the bottom 50% nationally. The gap is particularly wide in maths, where only 30% reached the expected level, and in reading, where 45% did. Writing fared slightly better at 46%. No pupils achieved the higher standard in any of the three subjects. These figures are the most recent available, from the 2023/24 academic year, and they give a clear picture of where the school currently stands academically.
The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2023, rated overall effectiveness as Requires Improvement, a downgrade from its previous Good rating in 2014. However, the breakdown shows several areas still rated Good: early years provision, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management. The quality of education was the specific area identified as requiring improvement. Progress scores for reading, writing and maths are not available in the data, so it’s not possible to say how much value the school adds on top of starting points. With 66.1% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a significantly disadvantaged community, which is an important context for understanding its results. The school has a Church of England religious character and is led by headteacher Mina Shahi.
Bidston Village is a larger-than-average primary, with 421 pupils against a capacity of 420, and it was oversubscribed for 2025/26 entry, receiving 53 applications for 43 places. It offers a nursery provision for children from age 2, and its facilities include a sensory room, forest school, chapel, ICT suite, and playing fields. Sports on offer include football, cricket, swimming, athletics, tennis and netball, with clubs such as gardening, chess and drama. The school has a dedicated SEN unit and provisions for a wide range of needs, including moderate learning difficulty, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairment, and social, emotional and mental health support. This makes it a practical choice for families who value a broad, inclusive environment and are comfortable with a school that is working through an improvement journey, rather than one already at the top of the local league table.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 2 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Ballantyne Drive, Prenton, Wirral, CH43 7XG |
| Headteacher | Mina Shahi |
| Local Authority | Wirral |
| Number of Pupils | 421 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 66.1% |
| School Capacity | 421 / 420 (100% full) |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
12 Sept 2023Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 5 Nov 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (22%)
13515th of 13,686
Nationally
2034th of 2,065
In North West
61st of 64
In Wirral
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
22%
Expected Standard
0%
Higher Standard
'22/23
33%
'23/24
22%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
SEND Support
SEN UnitSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
9Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed43
53
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
39 families put this school as their 1st choice (74% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:15
Source: bidstonvillage.wirral.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British90.5%
- Mixed3.2%
- White (other)2.9%
- Asian1.9%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
10
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
9
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Bidston Village CofE (Controlled) Primary School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Ballantyne Drive, Prenton
Wirral, CH43 7XG
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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