Valley Academy, Bradford

Ofsted's report card from its 17 March 2026 inspection grades Valley Academy on 6 areas: 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils typically learn the skills and knowledge they need to do well."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders monitor pupil absence rigorously."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have ensured that teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have high expectations for all pupils."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have brought about effective change over time."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders are rightly proud of the way the school provides for pupils' personal development."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is consistently taught well across all subjects"; "Leaders should continue to refine their actions to secure high attendance for all pupils".

In 2026, pupils at Valley Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 41.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 42.6 in Bradford and 47 across England.

43% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 40% in Bradford and 47% in England.

That is up from 38.7 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -1.01: pupils made well below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 39.5, against 43.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 4 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 19 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Business Studies and Religious Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 45 families put Valley Academy as their first choice and 184 named it as one of their preferences, for 71 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Valley Academy are The Home Study Project Co Pakistan Community and Neighbourhood Assoc (0.5 miles); Feversham Girls' Secondary Academy (0.6 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 55.3); Oasis Academy Lister Park (0.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 35.7); and Carlton Bolling (0.9 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 43.8).

Valley Academy's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.

Valley Academy is one of 64 schools run by Delta Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48.1 in 2024/25.

Of the 71 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 79% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 58% to a further education college.

52.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 66.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Asian (67%), Black (9%) and White British (6%).

In 2026, 77 pupils (21.6%) received SEN support and 13 (3.7%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.

The nearest railway station is Bradford Foster Square Rail Station, about 1030 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Valley Parade (at), 160 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Valley Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 1054 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and drug offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Bradford (404), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Valley Academy issued 65 suspensions, 17.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Valley Academy are Green Lane Primary School (0.3 miles), Dixons Manningham Academy (0.4 miles), Atlas Community Primary School (0.5 miles) and Iqra Primary Academy (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.