Hanson Academy
86%
Capacity
1,530
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About Hanson Academy
Hanson Academy’s headline Progress 8 score of -0.69 places it well below the Bradford local authority average of -0.19 for secondary schools, a gap that puts the school in 29th place out of 39 schools of its type in the area. That ranking places it in the bottom 15% of Bradford secondaries, and nationally it sits in the 90th percentile of schools, meaning the vast majority of schools achieve stronger progress scores. The school’s Attainment 8 score of 35 is also modest, and only 13.1% of pupils entered the EBacc suite of qualifications, compared with a 9.7% achievement rate at grade 4 or above. With 46.2% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a significantly disadvantaged intake, which provides important context for these headline figures.
In its most recent Ofsted inspection in April 2025, Hanson Academy was judged Good across all five graded categories, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. This represents a remarkable turnaround from its previous inspection in 2020, when the school was rated Inadequate overall. The sixth form was also rated Good, though the value-added score of -0.3 is below average, and the average points per entry of 25.76 equates to a C- grade. At KS4, the Progress 8 banding is described as well below average, with the weakest progress in the EBacc subjects (-0.92) and open elements (-0.82). Maths progress (-0.44) and English progress (-0.54) are less negative but still below the national average. The basics measure shows 51.5% of pupils achieved grade 4 or above in English and maths, dropping to 38.8% at grade 5 or above.
The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, 466 families applied for 278 places, with 188 first-preference offers made. Facilities are extensive, including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, and a dedicated sixth form centre, and the school offers a wide range of clubs from Model UN to rowing. SEND provision covers eight areas including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and a resourced provision. Parent View responses from 69 families show 72% would recommend the school, and strong majorities agree that their child is happy (71% agree or strongly agree) and that the school has high expectations (75%). However, opinions are more divided on how concerns are handled and SEND support, with roughly a quarter of parents strongly disagreeing on each. Hanson Academy suits families who value the recent Ofsted improvement and broad extracurricular offer, but who are realistic about academic outcomes that remain below the local average.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Sutton Avenue, Bradford, Bradford, BD2 1JP |
| Headteacher | Samuel Sheedy |
| Local Authority | Bradford |
| Number of Pupils | 1,530 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 46.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,530 / 1,788 (86% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
29 Apr 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 15 Jun 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.69)
2838th of 3,141
Nationally
275th of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
29th 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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'22/23
20.3
'23/24
25.8
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Biology19
- Psychology18
- Mathematics17
- Computer Studies / Computing14
- Chemistry13
- Sociology9
- Law7
- History6
- Physics6
- English Language5
- Media/Film/Tv Studies4
- Art and Design (Fine Art)3
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
69 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
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed278
466
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
188 families put this school as their 1st choice (40% 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.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White British44.3%
- Asian30.0%
- Mixed8.3%
- White (other)5.0%
- 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.
13
Total schools
13
Oversubscribed
10
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 Hanson Academy
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
Sutton Avenue, Bradford
Bradford, BD2 1JP
Sutton Avenue, Bradford
Bradford, BD2 1JP
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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