School profile

Bradford Forster Academy

Secondary · Academy sponsor led · Bradford, BD4 8RG

Requires improvement

Map showing Bradford Forster Academy

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,923 of 3,312

Worse than 88% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

Bradford Forster Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 11 Feb 2025

Area360 rating
Requires improvement
Quality of education
Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes
Requires improvement
Personal development
Requires improvement
Leadership and management
Requires improvement
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy sponsor led
Ages11 to 16
Pupils892
GenderMixed
Religious characterChurch of England
Head teacherMr Daniel Styles
TrustBRADFORD DIOCESAN ACADEMIES TRUST
Local authorityBradford
Opened01 Sept 2015
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 140429.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolBradfordEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.37.7, worse than England, worse than Bradford41.446.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.50.3%, worse than England, worse than Bradford57.2%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.33.2%, worse than England, worse than Bradford38.8%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.6.7%, worse than England, worse than Bradford10.4%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths42.5%, worse than England, worse than Bradford51.8%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4193--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils892
Girls445
Boys447
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.47.4%
First language not English28.1%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,050
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.15%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.204
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.47
Average class size23.2

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
52.6%
Other White
13.2%
African
10.5%
Pakistani
6.4%
Other mixed
2.7%
White and Black Caribbean
2.2%
Other ethnic group
2.1%
White and Asian
2%
Indian
1.3%
Other Asian
1.2%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher14.9
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.8.3
Teachers (FTE)59.8
Teaching assistants (FTE)20.47
Support staff (FTE)77.14
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2555.2
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2548.2
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/253
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/254

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.181
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.258
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.113
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.113
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)5

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolBradfordEngland
Overall absence10.8%, worse than England, worse than Bradford10.3%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.32%, worse than England, worse than Bradford28.9%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.6.2%, worse than England, worse than Bradford5.5%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate110.7%
Pupils with one or more suspensions20.1%
Permanent exclusion rate0.7%
Permanent exclusions7

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.88.2%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.83.4%
Further education57.2%
Sixth form college22.5%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.6.4%
School sixth form3.7%
Apprenticeship2.7%
Employment2.1%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Bradford Forster Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miPrimaryLower Fields Primary AcademyAcademy converter
Good
0.3 miNot applicableDarul Uloom Dawatul ImaanOther independent school
Unrated
0.4 miAll-throughBradford AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Requires improvement
0.4 miPrimaryKnowleswood Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Requires improvement
0.6 miPrimarySt Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miPrimaryMeadow Bank Community SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Requires improvement
0.8 miPrimaryCarrwood Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Requires improvement
0.9 miPrimaryRyecroft Primary AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.9 miPrimaryCo-op Academy Penny OaksAcademy converter
Good
0.9 miPrimarySt John's CofE Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding

Frequently asked questions about Bradford Forster Academy

What is Bradford Forster Academy's Ofsted rating?

Bradford Forster Academy is rated Requires improvement, last inspected on 11 Feb 2025. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Bradford Forster Academy rank in England?

Bradford Forster Academy ranks 2,923 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 88% of schools).

What are Bradford Forster Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 33.2% of pupils at Bradford Forster Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 37.7 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into Bradford Forster Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Bradford Forster Academy made 181 offers from 258 applications (1.4 per offer), and 113 of 113 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Bradford Forster Academy?

Bradford Forster Academy has 892 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of Bradford Forster Academy?

Bradford Forster Academy had 1,050 school places in 2024/25.

Does Bradford Forster Academy have a sixth form?

No, Bradford Forster Academy teaches pupils up to age 16.

How big are classes at Bradford Forster Academy?

At Bradford Forster Academy, the average class had 23.2 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 14.9 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Bradford Forster Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at Bradford Forster Academy missed 10.8% of sessions (England 8%), and 32% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.