St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy
92%
Capacity
1,794
Pupils
2.6x
Demand
About St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy
St Bede’s and St Joseph’s Catholic College sits within the Bradford local authority, a large secondary serving 1,794 pupils aged 11 to 18. Among the 34 state secondary schools in the area, it ranks 16th by Progress 8 score, placing it just above the midpoint. The top-performing peers in Bradford are Dixons Trinity Academy, Feversham Girls’ Secondary Academy, and Dixons Cottingley Academy, each with significantly higher Progress 8 scores. The school is a Roman Catholic voluntary academy, and its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2019 rated it Good across all categories, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. This marked a clear improvement from its previous inspection in 2017, when it was judged Requires Improvement overall. The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 750 applications for 285 places and 253 offers made to first-preference applicants, reflecting strong local demand.
Academically, the school’s Progress 8 score of -0.15 is rated Average and sits slightly above the Bradford local authority average of -0.19. Attainment 8 stands at 45.5, and 64.3% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though the figure drops to 37.4% at grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate is 48.6%, with 27.2% achieving the benchmark at grade 4 or above. In the sixth form, the school’s value-added score is -0.02, also rated Average, and the average points per entry is 31.55, equivalent to a C grade. The best three A-levels average out at a C+ grade. Nationally, the school ranks 1,893 out of 3,141 schools on Progress 8, placing it in the bottom 50% of schools overall, though within Yorkshire and the Humber it sits slightly above the median.
The school offers a broad range of facilities, including a theatre, chapel, sixth form centre, astro turf, and science labs, alongside clubs such as Model UN, Debate, Duke of Edinburgh, and Young Enterprise. Sports provision covers athletics, hockey, rugby, netball, and cricket. SEND support is well-developed, with provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 26% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse and relatively disadvantaged intake. It will suit Catholic families seeking a faith-based secondary with a strong sixth form, though those prioritising top-tier academic outcomes may want to compare it with the highest-performing peers in the local authority.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Highgate, Bradford, Bradford, BD9 4BQ |
| Headteacher | Lawrence Bentley |
| Local Authority | Bradford |
| Number of Pupils | 1,794 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 26.0% |
| School Capacity | 1,794 / 1,950 (92% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
26 Sept 2019Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 17 Oct 2019. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.15)
1893rd of 3,141
Nationally
170th of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
16th 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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
37.8
'22/23
36.8
'23/24
31.6
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
20Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed285
750
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
306 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White British36.7%
- Asian18.8%
- White (other)12.9%
- Mixed10.5%
- Black1.0%
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.
20
Total schools
18
Oversubscribed
14
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 St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College, A Voluntary 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
Highgate, Bradford
Bradford, BD9 4BQ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy!
Write a Review