Ilkley Grammar School
110%
Capacity
2,172
Pupils
2.9x
Demand
About Ilkley Grammar School
Ilkley Grammar School sits within Bradford local authority, where it ranks 5th out of 34 secondary schools on Progress 8, placing it in the top 15% locally. The three highest-ranked peers in the authority are Dixons Trinity Academy, Feversham Girls' Secondary Academy, and Dixons Cottingley Academy, all of which also post strong Progress 8 scores. Ilkley Grammar is one of only eight schools in Bradford rated Outstanding by Ofsted, a grade it has held across its two most recent inspections. The most recent graded inspection, in December 2024, awarded Outstanding in every category judged: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. The school is a mixed, non-denominational state secondary with a sixth form, and it is significantly oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 885 applications for 305 places, with 354 first-preference applications and 296 first-preference offers.
Academically, Ilkley Grammar School performs well above the national average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.54 is well above average, and it sits far above the Bradford local authority average of -0.19. Attainment 8 stands at 56.5, with 78.8% of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and 63.9% achieving a grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 4.93, with 32.1% of pupils entering the EBacc combination. At A-level, the school’s value-added score is 0.21, classed as above average, and the average points per entry is 38.68, equivalent to a B grade. The best three A-levels average out at a B grade with 40.07 points. In the Parent View survey, 92% of the 367 respondents would recommend the school, and strong majorities agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy, feels safe, and that the school has high expectations.
The school is well equipped, with facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, gymnasium, science labs, art studios, music rooms, and a sixth-form centre. Sports on offer include rowing, netball, hockey, gymnastics, martial arts, and dance, while clubs range from Film Club and Book Club to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model UN, and Young Enterprise. The school has a broad range of SEND provisions, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder, as well as a resourced provision. With its strong academic outcomes, Outstanding Ofsted rating, and heavy oversubscription, Ilkley Grammar is a popular choice for families in the Bradford area who prioritise high attainment and a wide range of extracurricular opportunities.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Cowpasture Road, Ilkley, Bradford, LS29 8TR |
| Headteacher | Carly Purnell |
| Local Authority | Bradford |
| Number of Pupils | 2,172 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 6.9% |
| School Capacity | 2,172 / 1,972 (110% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
10 Dec 2024Quality of Education
Outstanding
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 26 Jan 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.54)
463rd of 3,141
Nationally
33rd of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
5th of 34
In Bradford
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly 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
43.5
'22/23
38.4
'23/24
38.7
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
2022/2378%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 272 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)78%
- FE college12%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Not sustained3%
- Employment1%
97% 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
2022/2354%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 213 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
40%
Russell Group
44%
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)54%
- Employment30%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Further education2%
- 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- Business Studies:Single80
- Mathematics52
- Psychology48
- Economics47
- Biology41
- English Literature38
- Chemistry35
- History33
- Geography31
- Sociology30
- Government and Politics23
- Physics18
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
367 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
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
12Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed305
885
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
354 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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British81.9%
- Asian5.3%
- White (other)4.3%
- Mixed4.2%
- 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.
5
Total schools
5
Oversubscribed
4
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Ilkley Grammar 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
Cowpasture Road, Ilkley
Bradford, LS29 8TR
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