Beckfoot Thornton
98%
Capacity
1,272
Pupils
2.3x
Demand
About Beckfoot Thornton
Beckfoot Thornton is a popular choice among Bradford families, with 562 applications for 247 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.28. Of the 211 first-preference applications, 198 were offered places, indicating strong local demand. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it Good overall, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2019. Inspectors noted Good marks across all five categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This upward trajectory in official judgement, combined with the high level of applications, suggests that parents are increasingly confident in the direction the school is heading under headteacher Sally Trusselle.
Academically, Beckfoot Thornton’s Progress 8 score of -0.49 places it below the national average, and the school ranks 21st out of 34 secondary schools in Bradford on this measure. This is notably lower than the local authority average Progress 8 of -0.19. The Attainment 8 score sits at 37.3, and 46.7% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, dropping to 28.4% at grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 3.32, with 29.2% of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects. While these figures are below both the national and local averages, it is worth noting that the school serves a cohort with 36.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, which is significantly above the national average and provides important context for these outcomes.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, gymnasium, astro turf, tennis courts, and playing fields, with sports such as football, rugby, cricket, and rowing on offer. There is also a chapel on site, despite the school having no religious character. Clubs include art, drama, gardening, and a newspaper club. For pupils with additional needs, Beckfoot Thornton provides support for a wide range of conditions including dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and physical disabilities, with a resourced provision available. The school does not have a sixth form, so pupils will need to plan for post-16 options elsewhere. Given its high oversubscription rate and improving Ofsted rating, this school is likely to suit families who value a large, inclusive secondary with strong pastoral and SEND support, and who are comfortable with academic results that are below the local average but improving.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Leaventhorpe Lane, Bradford, Bradford, BD13 3BH |
| Headteacher | Sally Trusselle |
| Local Authority | Bradford |
| Number of Pupils | 1,272 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 36.9% |
| School Capacity | 1,272 / 1,300 (98% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
13 Sept 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Source: Ofsted, 15 Oct 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.49)
2594th of 3,141
Nationally
238th of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
21st of 34
In Bradford
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less 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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2329%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 242 pupils).
- FE college45%
- School sixth form (stay)29%
- Not sustained9%
- Employment7%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Sixth form college4%
90% 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: 60 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
17%
Russell Group
17%
Top-third HE
2%
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%
- Further education15%
- Not sustained10%
- Employment7%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Other education2%
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- Psychology31
- Mathematics21
- Chemistry18
- Biology17
- Law16
- Physical Education / Sports Studies13
- Design and Technology (Product Design)9
- Economics8
- English Language8
- Physics8
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.
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
14Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed247
562
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
211 families put this school as their 1st choice (38% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British56.4%
- Asian24.3%
- Mixed10.0%
- White (other)4.6%
- 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.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% 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.
10
Total schools
10
Oversubscribed
8
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 Thornton
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
Leaventhorpe Lane, Bradford
Bradford, BD13 3BH
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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