Eden Springs Girls Secondary Review 2026: High expectations, Islamic ethos, and a long school day

A small independent girls’ school in Little Horton, Bradford, this setting is defined by two clear choices, an Islamic ethos integrated into daily school life, and an extended school day running from 8.00am to 5.00pm. That longer day shapes everything from curriculum time to enrichment, and it will suit some families far better than others.

The school is registered for students aged 11 to 24, although recent inspection information indicates the on-roll cohort is currently concentrated in the usual secondary and sixth form ages, with a comparatively small sixth form. For families looking for a close knit environment where adults set clear standards and students are expected to work hard and behave well, the most recent external review aligns strongly with that picture.

Fees are modest for the independent sector, and the published annual tuition fee is positioned as a fixed yearly amount with an instalment option. That can make this school a practical alternative for families who want an independent education aligned to faith and values, but without the cost base of larger independents.

The school’s identity is explicit. Its stated mission and ethos place Islamic learning and Muslim identity alongside preparation for life in wider British society, with fundamental British values referenced directly in the school’s own materials.

This matters because it is not simply an add on subject. The school frames Islam as a way of life that influences expectations around conduct, relationships, and personal development. In practice, that translates into a culture of clear boundaries, strong routines, and a particular emphasis on manners and self discipline. Families who share those priorities will likely find the tone reassuring, while families seeking a more plural, faith neutral school culture should weigh fit carefully.

The external picture is consistent with a calm, ordered environment. Classroom conduct is described as purposeful, and behaviour is positioned as a strength across the school day. The combination of high expectations and close adult student relationships is a recurring theme, which is often easier to sustain in a smaller school where staff can know students well and respond quickly when issues arise.

A small sixth form can create a very particular atmosphere post 16. On the one hand, it can mean continuity of values, routines, and expectations for students who want to stay in a familiar setting. On the other hand, it can limit subject breadth and the sheer range of peer group options that larger sixth forms provide. The school’s own and external materials suggest sixth form pathways are supported, but families should probe subject availability, teaching capacity, and how timetabling works when cohorts are small.

Leadership continuity also shapes culture. The current headteacher, Rashta Bibi, is recorded as headteacher in the first standard inspection in November 2019 and remains in post in the most recent inspection documentation, indicating stability at the top through the school’s early years.

Performance data should be read with context, particularly for smaller independent schools where cohort sizes can make year to year results fluctuate. With that caveat, the available headline indicators at GCSE level are broadly positive.

Ranked 814th in England and 4th in Bradford for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data)

This places the school above England average, comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England on this measure.

On attainment, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 54.3, which indicates a solid overall level of GCSE achievement across a suite of subjects. The EBacc average point score is 5.25, and 33.3% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above across the EBacc measure. Together, these suggest a cohort that is achieving credibly across academic subjects, though not necessarily prioritising EBacc entry and top pass rates in the way some highly academic schools do.

For post 16, the published A-level grade measures available here record 0% at A*, A, B, and A* to B. That pattern is unusual and can be a sign of a very small cohort, a technical reporting issue, or an alternative post 16 pathway mix. The practical takeaway is simple, families considering sixth form should ask directly for recent outcomes by subject and pathway, including what qualifications are actually taken and in what volumes.

Parents comparing schools locally can use the FindMySchool Local Hub pages to view GCSE measures side by side using the comparison tool, rather than relying on impressions.

The curriculum is described as broad and balanced, aligned with the National Curriculum while also incorporating Islamic studies. The intent is that both strands are taken seriously, with high standards expected across each.

For Key Stage 4, the school lists a set of GCSE subjects that includes English language and literature, mathematics, sciences, religious studies, Urdu, humanities, and computing, with the caveat that options are not limited to the published list. Urdu and computing can be meaningful differentiators. Urdu, in particular, can support heritage language development and open a route to strong subject specific achievement for the right students.

The inspection evidence points to a carefully sequenced curriculum and a focus on building knowledge over time, with reading promoted actively through planned time in the day and the use of a library that is described as well stocked and suitable for a range of abilities. That matters because reading fluency becomes a constraint across the curriculum in secondary school, and schools that protect reading time tend to support students who arrive with uneven prior literacy.

A recurring development priority is consistency in how assessment information is used. The practical implication for families is that strengths may be more pronounced in some subjects than others, and that students who need finely tuned adaptations or rapid intervention for gaps should be discussed upfront. The school’s own policy notes that it will endeavour to support students with special educational needs, but it also signals limits in formal capacity compared with larger settings.

The school’s destination story, as evidenced publicly, is more about preparation and guidance than about publishing headline university numbers. The careers programme described externally includes contact with speakers and employers and trips to universities, which can be particularly valuable in communities where students may have fewer informal professional networks.

There is also evidence of practical pathway thinking. Sixth form preparation is referenced in terms of routes into careers such as education and health and social care. For some students, that kind of clarity and vocational alignment can be more useful than a broad but abstract post 16 offer. Families should confirm exactly which qualifications are available post 16, whether A-levels, applied general qualifications, or a mixture, and how progression is supported for each pathway.

Because published Oxbridge and national destination percentages are not available here, it is sensible to evaluate the sixth form on what can be verified directly, subject availability, teaching expertise, enrichment for applications, work experience support, and confirmed recent progression routes for leavers.

Admissions are handled directly by the school rather than through local authority coordination. Families are asked to obtain an application form and return it to the school office, with specific office hours provided for requests.

Priority is described in a straightforward way. Siblings currently at the school are given first priority, followed by students from Crystal Gardens Primary School. After that, applications are considered on merit following interview and an entry examination. This combination suggests a school that values continuity of community, but still expects a baseline academic and behavioural readiness for secondary study.

The school also signals that demand is high and encourages families to apply well in advance if they want the best chance of securing a place. In practice, parents should treat this as a prompt to make contact early, ask what year groups have waiting lists, and clarify the timing and content of any entry assessment. Families can use FindMySchool’s Saved Schools feature to manage a shortlist and track which schools require direct applications and which run through coordinated local authority systems.

Pastoral expectations are closely bound to conduct, manners, and personal development. The school’s own admissions material is explicit about the importance of behaviour and about alignment between home and school in reinforcing expected standards. That can be helpful for families who want a united message, but it also means a student who is resistant to boundaries may find the environment demanding.

Safeguarding is reported as effective in the most recent inspection documentation, and the overall picture emphasises that students feel secure and that adults combine warmth with high expectations. For many parents, that combination is the baseline they want, staff who know students well, routines that reduce low level disruption, and a consistent approach to behaviour across the day.

Enrichment here appears to be shaped by three strands, academic development, faith and community life, and experiences that broaden horizons beyond the local area.

Academic and oracy enrichment shows up in debate and public speaking. A debating club is referenced, and earlier inspection evidence describes students relishing debate, public speaking, and poetry, with confidence discussing current affairs. The implication is a school that takes spoken communication seriously, which can benefit students in English, humanities, and later interview settings.

Educational visits have included trips to Maths City in Leeds, the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, and Thackray Museum of Medicine. These kinds of visits tend to support curriculum understanding and can make STEM and healthcare pathways feel more tangible, especially for students beginning to think about post 16 choices.

Faith and service appear through structured Islamic learning and charity activity. External evidence describes charity work as central, with fundraising for local, national, and international causes. For many families, this is not peripheral. It is the way values are made practical through real action, responsibility, and community contribution.

The published annual tuition fee is £2,550 per year, alongside a £100 one off, non refundable payment on admission for resources and processing. Payment is described as either a lump sum at the beginning of the year or monthly instalments across September to June.

The school also states that fees are subject to an annual increase, so families planning over several years should budget for incremental rises and confirm the next fee update point directly. Financial assistance and bursary arrangements are not set out in the publicly accessible pages reviewed here, so families for whom affordability is tight should ask explicitly what support, if any, is available and what the application process involves.

The school day runs 8.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday, and the school notes that doors are not open before 8.00am. This is an operational detail with real family impact, it affects transport, childcare, and students’ after school availability for external activities.

Uniform is presented as part of the learning culture, and families should expect to purchase the required items through the school. Parents should also plan for the usual extras that sit alongside tuition at many independent schools, such as educational trips and any optional enrichment, with costs varying by year group and choices.

• A very long school day. A 5.00pm finish can be an advantage for working families, but it can also be tiring, particularly for students with long travel times or heavy homework loads.

• Sixth form scale and outcomes need probing. Publicly available post 16 performance measures are difficult to interpret, and the sixth form is described as small. Ask for recent qualification types, subject availability, and confirmed destinations.

• Clear behavioural expectations. The school is explicit about standards of conduct aligned to Islamic values. That will suit many families, but it is not a neutral culture and students need to be comfortable within it.

• SEN capacity may be limited. The school signals willingness to support, but also indicates it does not operate formal local authority SENCO provision. Families should clarify support structures, staffing, and adaptation approaches early.

This is a small independent girls’ school offering a faith aligned education with high expectations for behaviour, personal development, and academic effort, shaped by a notably long school day. It will suit families who actively want an Islamic ethos woven into daily school life and who value a structured, calm culture with strong adult oversight. The key due diligence points are the practicalities of the 8.00am to 5.00pm day, and a clear, evidence based conversation about sixth form subjects and recent outcomes before committing to a post 16 pathway.