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Academy sponsor led · Bradford

Beckfoot Thornton

  • 11–16Ages
  • 1,243Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • 143114URN

Leaventhorpe Lane, Thornton, Bradford, BD13 3BH · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Category of concern: Special measures

Safeguarding standards not met

Report card · inspected Apr 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
2.1per place
0.2 below Bradford median (2.4)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Bradford

509 applications for 239 places · 22nd of 35 in Bradford
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
34.0of 90
33rd of 35 in Bradford
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Ofsted category of concern: Special measures

Safeguarding: standards not met at the latest report card inspection

Report card · inspected 21 April 2026Published 8 September 2026 · safeguarding standards not met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionNeeds attention
Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
AchievementNeeds attention
Attendance and behaviourUrgent improvement
Personal development and wellbeingNeeds attention
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionDoes not apply to this school
Leadership and governanceUrgent improvement
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 21 April 2026
    Report card · 4 Needs attention, 2 Urgent improvement
  2. 13 September 2023
    Graded inspection: Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry
2.1applications per place, Year 7
0.2 below Bradford median (2.4) close to England median (2.2)

509 applications · 239 places offered · 163 named it first

  1. 2026 2.1; Bradford median median 2.4
  2. 2025 2.3; Bradford median median 2.4
  3. 2024 2.2; Bradford median median 2.5
  4. 2023 1.9; Bradford median median 2.3
  5. 2022 2.2; Bradford median median 2.5
  6. 2021 2.2; Bradford median median 2.5
  7. 2020 2.4; Bradford median median 2.3
  8. 2019 2.4; Bradford median median 2.4
  9. 2018 2.4; Bradford median median 2.7
  10. 2017 3.1; Bradford median median 3.0
  11. 2016 3.5; Bradford median median 4.3; as the previous school
  12. 2015 3.2; Bradford median median 4.1; as the previous school
  13. 2014 3.2; Bradford median median 3.9; as the previous school
  • This school
  • Bradford median

Dashed bars: as Thornton Grammar School (URN 107442), the previous school.

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20262395092.11630.68
Sep 20252475622.32110.85
Sep 20242525542.22220.88
Sep 20232584981.92060.80
Sep 20222535502.22370.94
Sep 20212565522.22340.91
Sep 20202566132.42190.86
Sep 20192626342.42160.82
Sep 20182606202.42100.81
Sep 20172557923.12571.01
Sep 2016 *2538883.52541.00
Sep 2015 *2568213.22460.96
Sep 2014 *2568103.22080.81

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

242 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)34.033rd of 35 in Bradford
Grade 5 or above in English and maths24%30th of 35 in Bradford
Grade 4 or above in English and maths46%
  • This school
  • Bradford median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.49
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)24234.024%46%–
2024/2525940.235%54%–
2023/2425737.328%47%−0.49
2022/2325439.431%52%−0.22

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type
Academy sponsor led
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
143114 · 380/4040
Trust
Beckfoot Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
1,300 pupils · 1,243 on roll
Free school meals
39.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision
Resourced provision
Opened
1 October 2016
Replaced
Thornton Grammar School (URN 107442)
Address
Leaventhorpe Lane, Thornton, Bradford, BD13 3BH
Local authority
Bradford

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources