Best secondary schools in Bradford
School-led moves need sector pairing because roll quality and residential quality are not the same curve. This ranking covers 35 secondary schools in the Bradford local authority. Postcode area BD16 has the highest average school score (61.4 across 3 schools), while BD20 sits at the lower end (12.3). 74% of ranked Bradford secondary schools hold an Ofsted Outstanding or Good rating.
Top 10 secondary schools in Bradford on the LocaleIQ model
Ordered by composite score within the Bradford comparison pool. Rankings reflect published data, not editorial opinion.
More secondary schools in Bradford
Positions 11–30 in the Bradford ranking.
| # | School | LocaleIQ | Ofsted | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy | 50.7 | Good | Secondary |
| 12 | Trinity Academy Bradford | 47.9 | Good | Secondary |
| 13 | Dixons McMillan Academy | 45.6 | Good | Secondary |
| 14 | Belle Vue Girls' Academy | 42.8 | Good | Secondary |
| 15 | Dixons Cottingley Academy | 40.3 | Good | Secondary |
| 16 | Immanuel College | 37.6 | Good | Secondary |
| 17 | Beckfoot Thornton | 32.1 | Good | Secondary |
| 18 | Carlton Keighley | 24.3 | Good | Secondary |
| 19 | Titus Salt School | 19.9 | Good | Secondary |
| 20 | Beckfoot Upper Heaton | 18.4 | Good | Secondary |
| 21 | Appleton Academy | 18.3 | Good | All-through |
| 22 | Laisterdyke Leadership Academy | 17 | Good | Secondary |
| 23 | Hanson Academy | 15.7 | Good | Secondary |
| 24 | Oasis Academy Lister Park | 15.4 | Good | Secondary |
| 25 | Bradford Girls' Grammar School | 12.4 | Good | Secondary |
| 26 | Tong Leadership Academy | 10.6 | Good | Secondary |
| 27 | Valley Academy | 10 | Requires improvement | Secondary |
| 28 | Dixons Allerton Academy | 8.3 | Requires improvement | All-through |
| 29 | Bradford Academy | 6.2 | Requires improvement | All-through |
| 30 | Buttershaw Business & Enterprise College Academy | 2.8 | Requires improvement | Secondary |
Keep exploring Bradford
Questions about secondary schools in Bradford
What is the best secondary school in Bradford?
Ilkley Grammar School is the top-ranked secondary school in Bradford (LocaleIQ score 94.5 out of 100). Ofsted: Outstanding. Attainment 8 56.5. The score combines Ofsted outcome, Progress 8 and Attainment 8, and cohort-weighted percentile ranks within the Bradford secondary pool.
What is the best primary school in Bradford?
Baildon Church of England Primary School tops the Bradford primary school ranking (LocaleIQ 99.7). Ofsted: Outstanding. KS2 expected 90% · higher 39%. See the full primary school ranking for Bradford for the complete list.
Which secondary schools in Bradford have the best GCSE results?
Attainment 8 measures average GCSE grades across eight subjects; Progress 8 compares actual grades against predictions based on KS2 — a positive figure means pupils outperformed expectations. Top performers in Bradford: Ilkley Grammar School (Attainment 8 56.5); Beckfoot School (Attainment 8 53.0); Feversham Girls' Secondary Academy (Attainment 8 54.8). Both metrics feed into the LocaleIQ secondary school score.
Which secondary schools in Bradford are rated Outstanding by Ofsted?
8 secondary schools in the Bradford ranking hold an Outstanding Ofsted rating: Ilkley Grammar School, Beckfoot School, Feversham Girls' Secondary Academy, Dixons Kings Academy, Eden Boys' Leadership Academy, Bradford, and 3 more. Outstanding means Ofsted judged the school exceptional in all inspection areas. LocaleIQ weighs DfE performance data alongside Ofsted, so a Good-rated school can still rank highly.
How many secondary schools are ranked in Bradford?
This ranking covers 35 secondary schools in the Bradford comparison pool. Schools without sufficient published data are excluded but may appear in the LocaleIQ directory.
Which area of Bradford has the best secondary schools?
By average LocaleIQ score across postcode areas, BD16 has the strongest cluster — 61.4 average across 3 ranked secondary schools. BD20 sits at the lower end (12.3 average). School-led moves need sector pairing because roll quality and residential quality are not the same curve. Postcode averages mask individual variation — always review each school's full profile.
Ranking data last computed 29 March 2026.