Birstall Primary Academy

About Birstall Primary Academy

Birstall Primary Academy sits in the middle of the pack for Kirklees primary schools, but its headline Key Stage 2 results tell a slightly more nuanced story. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined is 59%, which is just one percentage point below the local authority average of 60%. That places the school 54th out of 144 similar schools in the area, and in the bottom half nationally. However, the school’s maths results are notably stronger: 86% of pupils met the expected standard in maths, and the average maths score of 106 is solid. Reading and writing expected rates are lower, at 66% and 79% respectively, which drags down the combined figure. The school also sees a significant gap between its highest and lowest achievers — only 10% of pupils hit the higher standard across all three subjects, compared with 38% in maths alone. This suggests a school that does well for many but struggles to push its top performers across the board.

Ofsted’s most recent graded inspection, in 2018, rated the school Good overall, with Good marks for leadership, early years provision and behaviour. A follow-up ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed the school remains Good. The data shows a school that has held a consistent rating across both inspections, with no signs of decline. Progress scores for reading, writing and maths are not available in the published data, so it’s hard to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points. The school’s ranking in Kirklees, at the 54th percentile, reflects a broadly average performance. For parents comparing options, Birstall sits below the top-tier local primaries like Carlton Junior and Infant School or Netherthong Primary, but it is not far off the LA average and offers a stable, Good-rated environment.

Birstall Primary Academy is a smaller-than-average school, with 185 pupils against a capacity of 210, and it is heavily oversubscribed: for 15 places in 2025/26, it received 82 applications, a ratio of over five to one. That suggests strong local demand. The school serves a relatively disadvantaged intake, with 29.7% of pupils eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. Facilities include playing fields, an art studio, a library and a chapel, and the school offers a broad range of sports and clubs, from football and swimming to chess and film club. SEND provision covers specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional needs, speech and language needs, and hearing impairment. This is a school that seems to suit families looking for a solid, Good-rated local primary with a strong maths focus and a wide extracurricular offer, but where the combined academic outcomes are unexceptional.

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