St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy, Bradford
St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Bradford, part of Blessed Christopher Wharton Catholic Academy Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 61st-highest of the 110 schools in Bradford with published results, and 9,982nd of 14,452 across England. It was 98% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- 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
St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy in detail
Results
In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils at St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 73% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 73% in Bradford and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 60% in reading and 65% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 46 families put St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy as their first choice and 88 named it as one of their preferences, for 49 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 St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy are Knowleswood Primary School (0.3 miles, 31% reading, 35% maths); St John's CofE Primary School (0.4 miles, Outstanding, 83% reading, 84% maths); Ryecroft Primary Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 70% reading, 65% maths); and Newhall Park Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 83% reading, 80% maths).
St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Knowleswood Primary SchoolSt John's CofE Primary SchoolRyecroft Primary AcademyNewhall Park Primary School
The trust
St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is one of 19 schools run by Blessed Christopher Wharton Catholic Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
All 19 schools in Blessed Christopher Wharton Catholic Academy Trust
Who goes there
38.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 31% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (54%), Black (15%) and Mixed (10%).
In 2026, 79 pupils (18.8%) received SEN support and 33 (7.9%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bradford Interchange Rail Station, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Highfield (w bound), 180 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary 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, St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy issued 11 suspensions, 2.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy are Bradford Forster Academy (0.6 miles), Bradford Academy (0.8 miles) and Tong Leadership Academy (1.1 miles).
Bradford Forster AcademyBradford AcademyTong Leadership Academy
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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its January 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
38.1%
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 improved from 60% to 69% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 65% to 73% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 69% to 79% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
22.2
Avg class size
24.3
Infant (KS1)
24.4
KS2
12
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary 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
- 34
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 9
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 34 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 25 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise.
12 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 St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Will you get a place at St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy.
- Bradford publishes last distance offered figures, but none for St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy for 2022 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.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
98%
Near capacity
344 pupils
350 places
6 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
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
79
SEN Support
33
EHC Plans
26.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
420
Total Pupils
214
Boys
206
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
22.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,068
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,965
Per pupil
£2335k
Total funding
£208k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.1%
Overall absence
22.0%
Persistent absence
304
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
St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Questions parents ask about St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
What are SATs results like at St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
Of the pupils at St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 69% reached the expected standard in reading and 73% did so in maths.
What is St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy's Ofsted rating?
St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2024.
What is the catchment area for St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary 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 St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
Classes at St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy average 22.2 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy has around 420 pupils on roll. 38% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
7.1% of sessions were missed at St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy in 2024/25. 22% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
Apply through Bradford's coordinated admissions process, naming St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary 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 St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 34 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 25 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise. 12 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 St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
St Columba's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is at Tong Street, Dudley Hill, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD4 9PY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)