Voluntary controlled school · Wirral

Bidston Village CofE (Controlled) Primary School

2–11Ages
404Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
131281URN

Ballantyne Drive, Bidston, Prenton, CH43 7XG · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected May 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.4per place

0.4 below Wirral median (1.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Wirral

54 applications for 38 places · 67th of 74 in Wirral

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

27%met the expected standard

Wirral 56% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 12 May 2026Published 23 June 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Expected standard	Needs attention
Inclusion		Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching			Needs attention
Achievement			Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour			Needs attention
Personal development and wellbeing		Expected standard
Early years		Expected standard
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Expected standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

12 May 2026
Report card · 4 Expected standard, 3 Needs attention
12 September 2023
Graded inspection: Requires improvement

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.4applications per place, Reception

0.4 below Wirral median (1.8) 0.8 below England median (2.2)

54 applications · 38 places offered · 36 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 1.4; Wirral median median 1.8
2025 1.2; Wirral median median 1.7
2024 1.2; Wirral median median 1.6
2023 1.1; Wirral median median 1.6
2022 1.4; Wirral median median 1.6
2021 1.2; Wirral median median 1.6
2020 1.2; Wirral median median 1.6
2019 1.3; Wirral median median 1.7
2018 1.3; Wirral median median 1.8
2017 1.0; Wirral median median 1.7
2016 1.0; Wirral median median 1.8
2015 1.1; Wirral median median 1.9
2014 1.3; Wirral median median 1.9

More applications per place than the Wirral median in 0 of 13 years.

This school
Wirral median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	38	54	1.4	36	0.95
Sep 2025	43	53	1.2	39	0.91
Sep 2024	34	39	1.2	29	0.85
Sep 2023	51	56	1.1	47	0.92
Sep 2022	49	67	1.4	46	0.94
Sep 2021	44	52	1.2	42	0.95
Sep 2020	51	61	1.2	46	0.90
Sep 2019	47	63	1.3	42	0.89
Sep 2018	45	58	1.3	40	0.89
Sep 2017	53	51	1.0	36	0.68
Sep 2016	53	55	1.0	41	0.77
Sep 2015	36	41	1.1	32	0.89
Sep 2014	39	51	1.3	36	0.92

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 39% · Writing 44% · Maths 37% → all three 27% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard27%72nd of 74 in Wirral

Wirral 56% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard39%

Wirral 74% England 78%

Higher standard11%

Wirral 27% England 33%

Average scaled score 100 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard44%

Wirral 68% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Wirral 6% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard37%

Wirral 70% England 77%

Higher standard3%

Wirral 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 98 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Wirral median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	27%	0%	100	98
2023/24	22%	0%	100	97
2022/23	33%	0%	101	99

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Bidston Village CofE (Controlled) Primary SchoolThis school
This school

2026

1.4applications per place 27%met the SATs standard
St Paul's Catholic Primary School
1.0 km · Wirral

2026

1.2applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
Leasowe Primary School
1.0 km · Wirral

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.6applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School
1.1 km · Wirral

Good2022

1.3applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Chapelhill Primary School
1.2 km · Wirral

Requires improvement2020

1.5applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Manor Primary School
1.3 km · Wirral

Requires improvement2023

1.2applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School
1.4 km · Wirral

Remains Good2023

2.7applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
Holy Spirit Catholic and Church of England Primary School
1.6 km · Wirral

Good2023

1.5applications per place 41%met the SATs standard
Castleway Primary School
1.6 km · Wirral

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.3applications per place 33%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Voluntary controlled school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 131281 · 344/2001
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 420 pupils · 404 on roll
Free school meals: 64.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: SEN unit
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 September 2006
Address: Ballantyne Drive, Bidston, Prenton, CH43 7XG
Local authority: Wirral

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources