Ladybarn Primary School

About Ladybarn Primary School

Ladybarn Primary School holds a Good rating from Ofsted following its most recent inspection in 2023, a solid foundation for any family considering it. The single most telling exam metric is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which sits at 54%. That is three percentage points below the Manchester local authority average of 57%, placing the school 74th out of 122 primary schools in the area. While this is not the strongest headline, the school’s behaviour and attitudes were judged Outstanding by inspectors, and its leadership and management, quality of education, personal development and early years provision all received Good grades. The previous inspection, back in 2011, had rated the school Outstanding overall, so the current Good rating represents a step down, but the school remains a solidly performing option within its community.

Looking more closely at the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, the picture is mixed but not without strengths. In reading, 72% of pupils met the expected standard and 18% reached the higher standard, with an average score of 103. Writing saw 74% at expected and just 6% at the higher level. Maths results were weaker: 55% at expected, 17% at higher, and an average score of 101. The school’s ranking nationally places it in the bottom 50% of all primary schools, at the 70th percentile, and within the North West region it sits at the 68th percentile. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is difficult to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points. However, with 43.3% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a significantly disadvantaged cohort, which provides important context for these outcomes.

Ladybarn is a larger-than-average primary, with 488 pupils against a capacity of 480, and it is clearly popular: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 153 applications for 60 places, with 58 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.55. The school offers a nursery provision for three-year-olds and a range of facilities including a gymnasium, sports hall, ICT suite, forest school and a chapel. Sports on offer include cricket, football, netball, swimming and gymnastics, while clubs cover coding, gardening, film and drama. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists provisions for specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that suits families who value a strong pastoral environment and a broad extracurricular offer, and who are comfortable with academic results that sit slightly below the local average.

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