Pudsey Grammar School
99%
Capacity
1,362
Pupils
3.9x
Demand
About Pudsey Grammar School
Pudsey Grammar School is a popular choice for families in Leeds, with a striking oversubscription ratio of 3.9 for its 222 Year 7 places in the 2025/26 admissions round. The school received 866 total applications, with 351 listing it as a first preference, and 220 of those first-preference families were offered a place. This level of demand suggests strong local confidence in the school, though it's worth noting that no direct parent satisfaction survey data is available in the latest inspection reports to confirm this. The school is a large, mixed secondary with a sixth form, accommodating 1,362 pupils against a capacity of 1,370. It serves a diverse intake, with 24.3 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. The headteacher is M McKelvie, and the school has no religious character.
Academically, the school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024 confirmed it remains Good, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2016. The Progress 8 score for 2023/24 is -0.12, which is below the Leeds local authority average of 0.07, placing it 29th out of 42 schools in the area. The Attainment 8 score stands at 45.5, and 60.4 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. At A-level, the school's value-added score is -0.39, which is rated as below average, with an average points per entry of 28.29 (equivalent to a C- grade). The best three A-levels average a grade of C. While these results are not among the highest in Leeds, the school's improvement trajectory from Requires Improvement to Good is a positive signal for parents.
The school offers a broad range of facilities, including science labs, art studios, a sports hall, tennis courts, and a sixth form centre. Sports provision covers football, hockey, rugby, netball, rowing, and badminton, while extracurricular clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Model UN, Young Enterprise, and a range of creative and academic options. SEND support is extensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate to severe learning difficulties, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. For families considering Pudsey Grammar, the high oversubscription ratio means a realistic application strategy is essential. The school suits families who value a large, inclusive community with strong SEND provision and a sixth form, and who are comfortable with academic results that are broadly average compared with the Leeds authority.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Mount Pleasant Road, Pudsey, Leeds, LS28 7ND |
| Headteacher | M McKelvie |
| Local Authority | Leeds |
| Number of Pupils | 1,362 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 24.3% |
| School Capacity | 1,362 / 1,370 (99% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
18 Apr 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (18 Apr 2024): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 14 May 2019. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.12)
1808th of 3,141
Nationally
162nd of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
29th of 42
In Leeds
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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
34.7
'22/23
28.5
'23/24
28.3
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where school leavers go
2022/2354%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 117 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
16%
Russell Group
20%
Top-third HE
1%
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%
- Employment21%
- Apprenticeship13%
- Not sustained9%
- Other education1%
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.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed222
866
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
351 families put this school as their 1st choice (41% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British78.3%
- Asian9.3%
- Mixed5.6%
- White (other)2.6%
- Black0.3%
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.
11
Total schools
11
Oversubscribed
9
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 Pudsey 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
Mount Pleasant Road, Pudsey
Leeds, LS28 7ND
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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