Wilsden Primary School

About Wilsden Primary School

Wilsden Primary School’s headline metrics tell a mixed story when set against the Bradford local authority average for primary schools. The LA average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined (the key stage 2 benchmark) is 59 per cent, but Wilsden’s figure sits at 49 per cent — ten percentage points below the norm. That places the school 121st out of 153 primaries in Bradford, firmly in the bottom half of the league table. However, the picture is more nuanced than a single headline suggests. In reading, 81 per cent of pupils met the expected standard, well above the national average, and 23 per cent reached the higher standard — a strong showing. Maths tells a different story: only 58 per cent hit the expected mark, and just 7 per cent achieved the higher threshold. Writing sits in between, with 67 per cent at expected and 9 per cent at higher. So while the combined figure lags behind the LA average, individual subjects reveal real strengths, particularly in reading.

The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2023, upgraded it from Requires Improvement to Good across all five key areas: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. Early years provision also moved from Requires Improvement to Good. This is a significant turnaround from the previous inspection in January 2020, when every category was rated Requires Improvement. The Progress 8 measure is not available for this primary, but the key stage 2 scores offer a useful proxy. The average scaled scores — 103 in reading and 101 in maths — are broadly in line with national averages, though the maths figure is slightly below the typical benchmark of 103. With 12.8 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a relatively low-disadvantage intake compared with some Bradford primaries, which may partly explain the reading strength.

Wilsden Primary is a three-form entry school with a capacity of 360, but currently has 274 pupils on roll, leaving some spare places. Despite that, it was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 71 applications for 28 places — an oversubscription ratio of 2.54, with 24 first-preference offers made. The school offers nursery provision from age three, and its facilities include a sensory room, art studios, a dining hall, an outdoor playground and a chapel. SEND support covers social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication, and autistic spectrum disorder. Clubs range from drama and choir to science, eco and book clubs, while sports include cross country, football, rounders and athletics. This is a school that has clearly improved its Ofsted rating recently and performs well in reading, but parents should weigh the below-average combined KS2 score against the individual subject strengths and the positive behaviour and personal development ratings.

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