Schools by area › Manchester › Bowker Vale Primary School
Bowker Vale Primary School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Community school
Middleton Road, Higher Crumpsall, Manchester M8 4NB · bowkervale.manchester.sch.uk · 0161 740 5993
Overview
- Ofsted
- Remains Good
- Ungraded inspection · Feb 2023
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 61%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Manchester 58%, England 62%
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Reception, September 2026 entry · Manchester Council
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 439
- 94% of 465 places
- Local authority
- Manchester
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 46.7%
- First language not English
- 54.2%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: Manchester Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 43 families put the school first and 45 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 45 | 43 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 58 | 57 | 1 | 98% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 56 | 55 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 59 | 58 | 1 | 97% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 60 | 60 | 1 | 98% |
Results
In 2024/25, 61% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 3% the higher standard. Across Manchester it was 58%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ●61% | 62% | ||
| ▼3% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▼103 | 106 | ||
| ●104 | 105 | ||
| ●105 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
At an ungraded inspection on 10 February 2023, Ofsted’s outcome for Bowker Vale Primary School was: School remains Good.
- Outcome
- Remains Good
- Inspected
- 9 Feb 2023
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Jul 2017
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Jul 2017Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years Good Safeguarding Effective Jan 2012Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good
What parents said
93% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (46 replies, to 1 January 2024).
- Recommend
- 93%
- Replies
- 46
- 10% · 1 Jan 2024
based on the 70% who raised concerns
based on the 48% who had a child bullied
based on 13 parents (28%) with SEND