St Anthony's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy

About St Anthony's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy

St Anthony's Catholic Primary School, a voluntary academy in Bradford, was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024, a notable improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2014. The school's academic story is best told through its Key Stage 2 results for the 2023/24 year, where 72% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That figure sits comfortably above the Bradford local authority average of 59%, placing the school 32nd out of 153 primary schools in the area and in the top 50 nationally. The school also performed well at the higher standard, with 11% of pupils reaching that level across all three subjects. In reading, the average score was 108, and in maths it was 107, both above the national benchmark of 100. The school's ranking score of 72 puts it in the top quarter of schools nationally, and it is the 33rd best-performing primary in Bradford.

Ofsted's breakdown shows that leadership and management, early years provision, and overall effectiveness were all judged Good. The school has 112 pupils on roll against a capacity of 140, and 35.7% are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. Parent feedback from the Parent View survey, collected between September 2024 and September 2025, shows strong satisfaction: 84% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school, and 100% agreed or strongly agreed that their child does well there. However, the survey also highlights some areas of concern — 38% of parents disagreed that the school supports their child's wider personal development, and 23% disagreed that concerns are dealt with properly. The school has a range of SEND provisions, including support for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social and emotional mental health.

The school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, with 23 applications for 11 places and 10 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.09. Facilities include playing fields, a dining hall, art studios, a library and a chapel, and the school offers clubs such as drama, choir, science club and eco club. Sports on offer include athletics, football, dance, cross country and netball. As a Roman Catholic school, it will naturally appeal to families seeking a faith-based primary education, but its strong academic results and above-average KS2 performance make it a solid choice for any parent in Bradford. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Baildon Church of England Primary School, 2.1 km away, but St Anthony's Good rating and upward trajectory mean it holds its own in the local market.

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