Beckfoot School
100%
Capacity
1,605
Pupils
4.6x
Demand
About Beckfoot School
Beckfoot School sits within the Bradford local authority, where it ranks 6th out of 34 secondary schools by Progress 8 score, placing it in the top 25% of its type locally. The top-performing peers in the area are Dixons Trinity Academy, Feversham Girls' Secondary Academy, and Dixons Cottingley Academy, all of which post higher Progress 8 scores. Beckfoot is a large, mixed, non-faith state secondary with a sixth form, led by headteacher Simon Wade. It is heavily oversubscribed: for 259 places in 2025/26, the school received 1,201 applications, with 387 listing it as first preference and 251 of those receiving offers. That works out at 4.64 applications per place, a clear sign of its standing among Bradford families. The school also holds an Outstanding rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2025, with every graded category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision — all judged Outstanding.
Academically, Beckfoot delivers well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.42 is significantly higher than the Bradford LA average of -0.19, and the school is banded as 'Above average' nationally. In English, Progress 8 stands at 0.49; in maths it is 0.41; and the EBacc element comes in at 0.25. Attainment 8 sits at 50.4, and 73.8% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is high at 87.6%, with 44.2% achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above. At A-level, the school’s value-added score is -0.05, banded as 'Average', with pupils averaging a B- across their best three A-levels and 25.3% achieving at least AAB. The sixth form is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and 118 pupils were included in the most recent A-level results.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a theatre, art studios, music rooms, a sixth form centre, and a sports hall. Sports on offer include hockey, netball, tennis, swimming, and martial arts, while clubs range from Debate and Drama to DofE and Coding. Beckfoot has a dedicated resourced provision and supports pupils with a wide range of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Parent View responses from 248 respondents show strong satisfaction: 83% would recommend the school, 80% strongly agree or agree that their child is happy, and 86% feel their child is safe. However, SEND support is a more mixed area — 56% of parents whose children have SEND agree the school gives the right support, while 52% disagree or strongly disagree. This is a school that suits families prioritising strong academic outcomes and a well-resourced environment, but those with SEND children may want to explore the support offer in more detail.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Wagon Lane, Bingley, Bradford, BD16 1EE |
| Headteacher | Simon Wade |
| Local Authority | Bradford |
| Number of Pupils | 1,605 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 15.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,605 / 1,610 (100% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
18 Mar 2025Quality of Education
Outstanding
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 5 May 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.42)
621st of 3,141
Nationally
52nd of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
6th of 34
In Bradford
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
36.0
'22/23
33.1
'23/24
36.2
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2347%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 280 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)47%
- FE college36%
- Not sustained6%
- Employment4%
- Sixth form college3%
- Apprenticeship3%
93% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2362%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 152 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
32%
Russell Group
37%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)62%
- Employment20%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Not sustained5%
- Further education1%
- Other education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Biology41
- Chemistry39
- Psychology38
- Mathematics35
- History32
- Business Studies:Single26
- Sociology22
- Economics18
- Geography15
- Physics15
- Design and Technology (Product Design)14
- English Language10
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
Ofsted Parent View
248 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed259
1,201
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
387 families put this school as their 1st choice (32% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British67.4%
- Asian20.1%
- Mixed5.7%
- White (other)3.4%
- Black0.1%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
7
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
5
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Beckfoot School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Wagon Lane, Bingley
Bradford, BD16 1EE
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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