This is a Catholic secondary serving families across Keighley, Haworth and nearby villages, with a clear faith identity that shapes daily routines as well as long-term priorities. The current headteacher is Ms Sharon Mather, permanently appointed in September 2021.
The most recent Ofsted inspection (2 and 3 April 2025) graded all key areas as Requires Improvement. Safeguarding was confirmed as effective, and the report describes a school managing practical constraints alongside a drive to raise outcomes.
For families, the main questions are fit and trajectory. The school’s admissions arrangements are strongly shaped by its Catholic character, and demand is typically higher than places.
Catholic identity is central rather than optional. The school presents a mission framed around three themes, Awakening Minds, Achieving Dreams and Serving Others, and sets out a wider virtues framework that runs through policy and daily expectations. For families who want faith to sit central to school life, this offers clarity, shared language and a consistent moral frame.
Spiritual life is supported through chaplaincy structures, including a lay chaplain role and a chaplaincy team that plans liturgical seasons and worship opportunities. The prospectus also sets out regular opportunities for worship alongside retreats and residential experiences, including a long-running pilgrimage tradition.
The practical, day-to-day experience has been shaped by building constraints as well as culture. The April 2025 inspection describes ongoing building management challenges linked to reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), following its discovery in September 2023. For pupils, the implication is simple, routines and space use matter, and leadership needs to keep consistency high even when the physical environment is under pressure.
The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
GCSE outcomes sit below England average in the FindMySchool ranking picture. Ranked 3,600th in England and 4th in Keighley for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance sits below England average, within the bottom 40% of schools in England.
The underlying metrics reinforce that message. Attainment 8 is 34, and Progress 8 is -0.59, an indicator that pupils, on average, have made less progress than pupils nationally with similar starting points. The English Baccalaureate profile is also low, with 4.5% achieving grades 5 or above in the EBacc, and an EBacc average point score of 2.88.
Post-16 outcomes are very limited, and must be read with context because the school’s sixth form provision has changed recently. Ranked 2,557th in England and 3rd in Keighley for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the A-level profile sits below England average, within the bottom 40% of schools in England. The most recent A-level grade breakdown shows 8.33% of entries at A* to B, compared with an England average of 47.2% for A* to B.
What this means for parents is that the story is not about selective academic outcomes right now. The more relevant question is whether the school’s improvement work, curriculum sequencing, behaviour consistency and attendance strategy are translating into better results over time.
Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub to view outcomes side by side with nearby secondaries using the Comparison Tool, this helps place the rankings and progress measures in context.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
A-Level A*-B
8.33%
% of students achieving grades A*-B
GCSE 9–7
—
% of students achieving grades 9-7
The school sets out a clear curriculum model in published materials. The prospectus describes curriculum planning through curriculum journeys, learning intentions, curriculum intent and curriculum maps, designed to help families understand what is taught and why. The practical advantage is transparency, particularly for pupils who benefit from predictable sequencing and clear expectations.
Key Stage 3 coverage is broad and traditional in structure. Published curriculum information lists Religious Education, English, mathematics, science, a modern language (French, German or Spanish), computing, geography, history, art, drama, music, physical education and technology, with additional focus on resilience and skills for secondary school. At Key Stage 4, the prospectus describes core subjects alongside option choices that typically include a mix of humanities, languages and vocationally oriented courses.
Reading is positioned as a priority, particularly for pupils who arrive with reading ages below their chronological age. The April 2025 inspection describes targeted support including phonics, fluency work and one-to-one reading. The implication is strongest for pupils who need structured catch-up, it is a concrete lever that can support wider access to the curriculum when applied consistently.
Because the sixth form position has changed, destinations need to be understood in two strands, typical Year 11 progression now, and the last published 16 to 18 destinations while sixth form was still operating.
For the 2023 to 2024 cohort (64 students), 56% progressed to university, 14% to further education, 3% to apprenticeships and 17% to employment. This gives a pragmatic picture of post-18 routes rather than a narrow university-only narrative.
For current Year 11 families, the implication is to focus on guidance and transition planning. The school’s published careers approach includes work experience for pupils in Year 10, and structured careers education delivered through personal development and PSHE. Where a student intends to move to a different sixth form or college, strong advice, application support and realistic pathway planning matter as much as headline exam grades.
Year 7 admissions are coordinated through Bradford local authority, with the Common Preference Form deadline set as 31 October 2025 for September 2026 entry.
Because this is a Catholic school, families applying under faith-based criteria are expected to complete a Supplementary Information Form and provide the required evidence by the same deadline. If the supplementary form is not provided, applicants are considered under a different category within the oversubscription criteria, which can materially change a child’s priority.
Offer notifications for the normal admissions round are set for 1 March 2026, or the next working day. The Bradford admissions guide also reiterates the importance of returning supplementary forms to faith schools by the closing date.
Demand is meaningfully higher than supply view. The most recent demand figures available show 258 applications and 124 offers, a ratio of 2.08 applications per offer, and an oversubscribed status. For families, that means admissions strategy matters, especially for those outside the faith priority categories.
Families can use the FindMySchool Map Search to check travel feasibility and compare practical commute options across shortlisted schools, particularly if a place is not secured locally and an alternative offer may involve longer travel.
Applications
258
Total received
Places Offered
124
Subscription Rate
2.1x
Apps per place
Pastoral support is presented as a defined part of the school’s approach rather than an informal add-on. The April 2025 inspection describes pupils feeling supported by the pastoral team and having access to mental health support. The prospectus also references investment in mental health support, including access to Catholic Care and a dedicated pastoral support worker.
Behaviour is described as mostly calm and purposeful in lessons, with the main friction points around consistency and corridor transitions. For parents, the practical question to test on a visit is consistency, whether expectations are applied in the same way across subjects, and whether pupils experience predictable routines between lessons.
Attendance is a key pressure point. The April 2025 inspection highlights high absence, particularly for disadvantaged pupils, alongside a structured approach intended to improve attendance. In practical terms, families should expect a firm stance on punctuality, attendance follow-up and communication, because improving outcomes relies heavily on pupils being present.
The school’s enrichment picture is best understood through specific examples. The April 2025 inspection references clubs including retro games, crafts and science research, positioned as ways for pupils to develop interests beyond core lessons. These are not headline-grabbing prestige activities, but they matter for engagement, especially for pupils who build confidence through practical, social clubs.
Recent school communications also point to creative and civic-facing opportunities. The school’s BBC Radio Club, linked to BBC Contains Strong Language, has performed and shared poetry at St George’s Hall, an unusually public platform for student work. Faith and service appear in trips and community events, including a visit to Leeds Cathedral for a diocesan event and participation in local remembrance activities.
For many pupils, the larger contribution comes from structured, repeated experiences. The prospectus sets out international exchange and visit activity across multiple countries, and a programme of retreats and residential experiences across year groups. The implication is cultural breadth, relationship building and a wider sense of what school can include, particularly valuable for pupils whose motivation rises when learning connects to lived experiences.
STEM opportunities are visible in two places, curriculum structure and enrichment. At Key Stage 3, science and computing are core components, with technology and design woven into the timetable. The April 2025 inspection’s mention of a science research club suggests an attempt to make science feel participatory rather than purely exam-facing. For pupils considering technical routes, the school’s careers work, including Year 10 work experience and guidance on apprenticeships, is an important complement to purely academic STEM pathways.
The published school day begins at 8.35am and ends at 2.50pm, with five periods, morning break and lunch. The shorter end time can suit some families, but it also places weight on after-school clubs and home routines to support homework and revision.
Transport patterns are typical for a Keighley-area secondary, with pupils travelling by bus and by car, and some walking from nearby neighbourhoods. For families driving, it is worth factoring in drop-off and pick-up traffic on local lanes, especially on wet winter mornings.
Outcomes remain a key challenge. GCSE performance and progress measures are below England average, and families should ask direct questions about improvement actions, curriculum sequencing and how the school is using assessment to close gaps.
Post-16 provision has changed. The April 2025 inspection states that the sixth form provision was planned to close in August 2025. Families needing an on-site sixth form should confirm current arrangements and typical Year 11 destinations for A-level, T-level and college routes.
Building constraints add complexity. The April 2025 inspection describes ongoing management issues linked to RAAC, following the closure of a significant area of the building in September 2023. Parents may want to understand how this affects specialist rooms, circulation, and the delivery of practical subjects.
Catholic admissions criteria are central. Applying under faith categories requires the supplementary form and evidence by the published deadline. Families who are not practising Catholics should read the criteria carefully and plan preferences realistically.
This is a faith-led secondary with a clearly stated Catholic mission, a defined virtues framework and visible effort to strengthen culture, safeguarding practice and curriculum structure. It is also a school still working to bring outcomes up to where leaders want them, with attendance, consistency and sustained improvement as the central challenges.
Best suited to families who want a Catholic school community in the Keighley area, and pupils who benefit from structured routines, reading support and pastoral guidance. For families prioritising strong, established exam outcomes and a stable on-site sixth form, it is sensible to compare options carefully and ask detailed questions about the pace of improvement.
The school has clear strengths around faith identity, pastoral support and a structured approach to reading, alongside a stated drive to improve outcomes. The most recent inspection in April 2025 graded key areas as Requires Improvement, so it is best approached as a school in a rebuilding and improvement phase rather than a fully settled high-performing option.
The April 2025 inspection graded Quality of education, Behaviour and attitudes, Personal development, Leadership and management and Sixth form provision as Requires Improvement, with safeguarding confirmed as effective.
Applications are coordinated through Bradford local authority and must be submitted by 31 October 2025. Families applying under Catholic faith criteria are expected to submit the school’s supplementary form and evidence by the same date. Offers are issued on 1 March 2026, or the next working day.
Yes, the most recent demand figures available show more applications than offers, indicating stronger demand than supply. For families, this makes accurate preference planning and careful reading of the oversubscription criteria particularly important.
The school previously operated sixth form provision, and published destination data exists from earlier cohorts. The April 2025 inspection states that the sixth form was planned to close in August 2025, so families should confirm current post-16 arrangements and typical Year 11 progression routes.
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