Dixons Sixth Form, Bradford
67%
Capacity
1,258
Pupils
2.1x
Demand
About Dixons Sixth Form, Bradford
Dixons Sixth Form, Bradford, is a large state sixth-form college that received a 'Requires Improvement' overall rating from Ofsted in its most recent inspection in 2025, though the picture is more nuanced than that single label suggests. The inspection was a short, ungraded visit, meaning the overall effectiveness was not formally judged, but inspectors did grade several key areas as 'Good', including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and the sixth-form provision itself. The school's academic outcomes for its Key Stage 4 students, however, tell a more challenging story. Its Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year was -0.94, which is well below the national average and places it 32nd out of 34 schools in the Bradford local authority. This means that, on average, students achieved nearly a grade less per subject across their eight best GCSEs than students with similar starting points nationally.
The school's Attainment 8 score sits at 33.1, and only 24.8% of students achieved a grade 5 or above in both English and maths. The proportion of students entering the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) is relatively low at 25.7%, with just 3.9% achieving a grade 5 or higher across the EBacc subjects. This performance is notably below the Bradford local authority average Progress 8 score of -0.19, highlighting a significant gap in student progress compared to other schools in the area. The school's ranking in the bottom 50 nationally for Progress 8, at the 95th percentile, underscores the scale of the challenge. However, the Ofsted report's positive view of the sixth-form provision suggests that outcomes for post-16 students may be stronger, and the 'Good' rating for personal development indicates that the school is working to support students beyond purely academic metrics.
Dixons Sixth Form is a popular choice, receiving 438 applications for 210 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, making it oversubscribed with a ratio of 2.09 applicants per place. The school offers a wide range of facilities including a theatre, swimming pool, sports hall, and sixth-form centre, and runs clubs from chess and coding to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. It has a broad array of SEND provisions, including support for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. With 51.4% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a highly disadvantaged community. This is a school that parents should consider carefully: while its sixth-form provision is rated well and it offers strong extracurricular breadth, the core GCSE outcomes are significantly below local and national averages, and the parent view data shows considerable dissatisfaction, with only 45% of respondents recommending the school.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 16 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Bowling Old Lane, Bradford, Bradford, BD5 7JR |
| Headteacher | Carly Teale |
| Local Authority | Bradford |
| Number of Pupils | 1,258 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 51.4% |
| School Capacity | 1,258 / 1,891 (67% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
29 Apr 2025Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 16 Jun 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.94)
2992nd of 3,141
Nationally
290th of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
32nd of 34
In Bradford
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly 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
2022/2331%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 232 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)31%
- FE college31%
- Sixth form college18%
- Not sustained10%
- Employment5%
- Apprenticeship1%
87% 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
2022/2345%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 56 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
0%
Russell Group
0%
Top-third HE
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)45%
- Employment23%
- Not sustained14%
- Apprenticeship11%
- Further 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.
Ofsted Parent View
42 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
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed210
438
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
189 families put this school as their 1st choice (43% 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 75% 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
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British39.8%
- Asian35.5%
- Mixed10.5%
- White (other)6.3%
- Black0.5%
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.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given 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.
21
Total schools
16
Oversubscribed
12
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 Dixons Sixth Form, Bradford
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
Bowling Old Lane, Bradford
Bradford, BD5 7JR
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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