Shirley Manor Primary School

About Shirley Manor Primary School

Eighty per cent of parents who responded to Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend Shirley Manor Primary School to other families, a figure that sits alongside a clear oversubscription picture. For the 2025/26 reception intake, the school received 25 applications for 19 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.32. Fourteen of those applications were first-preference choices, and all 14 received offers. Parents responding to the survey were particularly positive about the range of clubs and activities on offer, with 100 per cent agreeing or strongly agreeing that their child can take part. The school also scored well on safety: 93 per cent of respondents felt their child is safe, and 94 per cent said their child is happy. However, the picture is more mixed on communication and behaviour. Only 73 per cent agreed that concerns are dealt with properly, and 20 per cent disagreed that pupils are well behaved. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, rated behaviour and attitudes as Good, which suggests some disconnect between the official judgement and parent perception on this point.

Academically, Shirley Manor faces significant challenges. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, just 39 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a local authority average of 59 per cent. This places the school 141st out of 153 primary schools in Bradford, in the bottom 50 per cent nationally. No pupils achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined. Individual subject results show 57 per cent reached the expected standard in reading and maths, and 61 per cent in writing. Average scaled scores were 102 in both reading and maths. The school’s Ofsted inspection in November 2024 judged the quality of education as Requires Improvement, and early years provision was also rated Requires Improvement. On a more positive note, personal development and behaviour and attitudes were both rated Good, and leadership and management was also rated Good. The previous inspection in 2019 had rated the school Good overall, so the current rating represents a decline.

Shirley Manor is a smaller-than-average primary with 175 pupils against a capacity of 236, and it has a nursery provision for children from age three. A high proportion of pupils – 56 per cent – are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. The school offers a range of facilities including a forest school, art studios, a gymnasium and a chapel, and runs clubs such as coding, science, film and chess. Sports on offer include athletics, gymnastics, swimming, rounders, dance, cricket and netball. For children with special educational needs, the school lists provisions for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, and autistic spectrum disorder. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary school is Marshfield Primary, 4.6 kilometres away. Given the current Requires Improvement rating and below-average outcomes, this school may suit families who value its strong personal development and behaviour ratings, its range of extracurricular activities, and its SEND support, but who are prepared to engage closely with the school on academic progress.

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