Laisterdyke Leadership Academy
98%
Capacity
886
Pupils
2.0x
Demand
About Laisterdyke Leadership Academy
Laisterdyke Leadership Academy's headline Progress 8 score of -0.43 sits well below the Bradford local authority average of -0.19 for secondary schools, placing it in the bottom half of schools locally and nationally. The school ranks 20th out of 34 schools in Bradford on this measure, and 229th out of 306 in Yorkshire and the Humber. While the overall score is below average, the breakdown reveals a mixed picture: progress in maths is exactly in line with the national average (0.00), while English sits at -0.35 and the EBacc subjects at -0.55. The Attainment 8 score of 35.8 and the basics measure (grade 4 or above in English and maths) of 50.9 per cent reflect the challenges of a school where 48 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average.
The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2023 rated it Good across all five categories, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2019. The inspectors judged quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management all as Good. At Key Stage 4, 12.7 per cent of pupils achieved the EBacc at grade 4 or above, and 7.9 per cent at grade 5 or above, with 70.9 per cent entered for the EBacc combination. The school has a sixth form and offers a range of academic and vocational pathways, though specific A-Level data is not available. The Progress 8 banding is classified as 'Below average', and the school's ranking places it in the bottom 50 per cent nationally.
Laisterdyke Leadership Academy is a mixed, non-religious secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 18, with 886 pupils on roll against a capacity of 900. It was oversubscribed for 2025/26, receiving 334 applications for 168 places, with 107 first-preference offers made. The school provides a wide range of facilities including a theatre, science labs, sports hall, gymnasium, library, astro turf, and a sixth form centre. Sports on offer include dance, hockey, rugby, gymnastics, athletics, rowing, tennis, swimming, and cricket, while clubs range from Art Club and DofE to Coding, Eco Club, Model UN, Young Enterprise, and Debate. The school supports pupils with moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that has improved its Ofsted rating and serves a high-deprivation community, but families should weigh its below-average Progress 8 score against its strong pastoral and extracurricular offer.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Thornbury Road, Bradford, Bradford, BD3 8HE |
| Headteacher | Mohammed Hafeez Khan |
| Local Authority | Bradford |
| Number of Pupils | 886 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 48.0% |
| School Capacity | 886 / 900 (98% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
18 Jan 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Source: Ofsted, 21 Mar 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.43)
2498th of 3,141
Nationally
229th of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
20th 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
2022/2314%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 177 pupils).
- FE college46%
- Sixth form college23%
- School sixth form (stay)14%
- Not sustained8%
- Employment5%
- Apprenticeship3%
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.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed168
334
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
107 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
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
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
- Asian66.4%
- Mixed9.0%
- White (other)7.7%
- White British1.4%
- 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.
14
Total schools
14
Oversubscribed
13
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 Laisterdyke Leadership 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
Thornbury Road, Bradford
Bradford, BD3 8HE
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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