Ryecroft Primary Academy, Bradford
Ryecroft Primary Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Bradford, part of Delta Academies Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 71st-highest of the 110 schools in Bradford with published results, and 11,173rd of 14,452 across England. It was 79% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Bradford (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Ryecroft Primary Academy in detail
Results
In 2025, 70% of Year 6 pupils at Ryecroft Primary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 65% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 73% in Bradford and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 73% in reading and 77% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Ryecroft Primary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 16 families put Ryecroft Primary Academy as their first choice and 34 named it as one of their preferences, for 18 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Ryecroft Primary Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Ryecroft Primary Academy are Carrwood Primary School (0.5 miles, 43% reading, 43% maths); Knowleswood Primary School (0.5 miles, 31% reading, 35% maths); St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 69% reading, 73% maths); and St John's CofE Primary School (0.8 miles, Outstanding, 83% reading, 84% maths).
Ryecroft Primary Academy's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Carrwood Primary SchoolKnowleswood Primary SchoolSt Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary AcademySt John's CofE Primary School
The trust
Ryecroft Primary Academy is one of 64 schools run by Delta Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 73% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
58.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bradford Interchange Rail Station, about 2.2 miles away in a straight line.
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Kesteven Close, 80 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Ryecroft Primary Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Ryecroft Primary Academy issued 32 suspensions, 16.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Ryecroft Primary Academy are Tong Leadership Academy (0.8 miles) and Bradford Forster Academy (0.9 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from January 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Ryecroft creates a happy, supportive environment where pupils are enthusiastic about learning. The school excels at teaching reading from an early age and provides excellent enrichment opportunities like university visits and residential experiences. Teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge and the school has good systems to quickly identify and refer pupils who need additional support.
Key Strengths
- Strong teaching of early reading with well-embedded phonics programme - most pupils achieve well
- Clear curriculum with knowledge that builds sequentially across subjects
- Pupils receive strong pastoral care and have many leadership opportunities like reading ambassadors
- Wide range of enriching experiences including university visits and residential trips to develop character and aspirations
- Quick identification of pupils with SEND and timely referrals to external support services
Areas for Improvement
- Staff don't consistently identify and correct basic errors quickly enough, so pupils repeat the same mistakes
- Adaptations for pupils with SEND are sometimes ineffective, making tasks difficult for them to complete
- Some pupils experience bullying and name-calling that occasionally reoccurs despite adult intervention
- Small group of pupils have poor attendance despite school's efforts and incentives
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective, with appropriate procedures in place and a culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Sewing club, multi-sports club, football club, residential visits, university visits, careers events with local employers
Ryecroft Primary Academy has maintained good standards since its last inspection in 2019. Pupils are happy and confident, achieving well across most areas, though the school needs to improve how it supports pupils with SEND and addresses basic skill errors.
At a Glance
58.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 70% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 77% to 65% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 70% to 80% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.9
Avg class size
26.3
Infant (KS1)
25.0
KS2
8
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Ryecroft Primary Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Ryecroft Primary Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Ryecroft Primary Academy is in Bradford; for families living there:
- Bradford's school travel policy: Home to school travel and transport policy for children of compulsory school age
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 16
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 9
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 12 slight.
9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Bradford is 30 (the median across 233 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Ryecroft Primary Academy
Will you get a place at Ryecroft Primary Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Ryecroft Primary Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Ryecroft Primary Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Ryecroft Primary Academy.
- Bradford publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Ryecroft Primary Academy that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Ryecroft Primary Academy for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Bradford got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
79%
Available places
184 pupils
234 places
50 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Bradford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bradford
Across Bradford council
Places available
7,475
Applications
6,301
Got 1st preference
92.3%
Got preferred school
98.6%
All primary applications across Bradford council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
29
SEN Support
12
EHC Plans
20.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
199
Total Pupils
93
Boys
106
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
22.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,155
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,836
Per pupil
£1427k
Total funding
£147k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.7%
Overall absence
23.3%
Persistent absence
163
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Ryecroft Primary Academy
Questions parents ask about Ryecroft Primary Academy
What are SATs results like at Ryecroft Primary Academy?
Of the pupils at Ryecroft Primary Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 70% reached the expected standard in reading and 65% did so in maths.
What is Ryecroft Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?
Ryecroft Primary Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Ryecroft Primary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Ryecroft Primary Academy is oversubscribed, Bradford allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Ryecroft Primary Academy?
Ryecroft Primary Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 79% of its 234 places.
How big are the classes at Ryecroft Primary Academy?
Classes at Ryecroft Primary Academy average 24.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Ryecroft Primary Academy?
Ryecroft Primary Academy has around 199 pupils on roll. 58% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Ryecroft Primary Academy?
7.7% of sessions were missed at Ryecroft Primary Academy in 2024/25. 23.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Ryecroft Primary Academy?
Apply through Bradford's coordinated admissions process, naming Ryecroft Primary Academy on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Ryecroft Primary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 12 slight. 9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Bradford is 30 (the median across 233 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Ryecroft Primary Academy?
Ryecroft Primary Academy is at Kesteven Close, Holmewood, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD4 0LS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)