Appleton Academy
Academy sponsor led · 1,207 pupils
82% stayed in education · Attainment 8 35.1
Academy converter
Parkside School
- Pupils on roll
- 1,061of 1,374 places
- Free school meals
- 27.1%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 202
- Ofsted
- Inadequate, 20 June 2023Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Parkside School (URN 132217, until 1 September 2023).
What the data says
Of the 207 pupils who finished Year 11 at Parkside School in 2023, 24% stayed on in Parkside School’s own sixth form (Bradford average 33%), 60% went to a further education college and 5% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 65 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 54% went to university (Bradford 40%, England 37%), and 18% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally; 14% started an apprenticeship, well above the 7% England average.
GCSE results in 2025 were well below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 36.7 against 46.1 across England and 40.8 in Bradford, with 23% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
A level grades average D+, well below the England average of B-; 4% of students achieved AAB or better including two facilitating subjects (England 18%). The largest A level subjects are Sociology, Psychology and English Language and Literature.
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Bradford and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Parkside School | Bradford | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 207 | 6,849 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 93% | 88% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 86% | 84% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 24% | 33% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 2% | 11% | 13% |
| — further education college | 60% | 39% | 37% |
| — other education | — | 2% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 5% | 3% | 3% |
| Employment | 2% | 2% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 3% | 7% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 3% | 5% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Parkside School | Bradford | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 65 | 4,742 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 86% | 72% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 54% | 40% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 18% | 13% | 19% |
| Further education | 6% | 9% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 14% | 5% | 7% |
| Employment | 12% | 16% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 11% | 22% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | Parkside School | Bradford | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 36.7 | 40.8 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 23% | 38% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 43% | 57% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 37% | 42% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.18 | 3.56 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 20% | 36% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 23.3 | 31.7 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 40.1 | 45.9 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 2% | 34% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 202 | 100% | 89% | 7% | 20% | 52% |
| Mathematics | 202 | 100% | 88% | 6% | 22% | 51% |
| English Literature | 188 | 93% | 86% | 9% | 21% | 51% |
| Combined Science | 171 | 85% | 65% | 6% | 9% | 42% |
| Geography | 110 | 54% | 41% | 7% | 25% | 49% |
| History | 77 | 38% | 41% | 12% | 26% | 49% |
| Spanish | 48 | 24% | 19% | 6% | 27% | 35% |
| Physical Education | 38 | 19% | 11% | 8% | 24% | 58% |
| Business Studies | 33 | 16% | 18% | 0% | 20% | 3% |
| Photography | 32 | 16% | 6% | 0% | 19% | 63% |
| French | 30 | 15% | 18% | 13% | 29% | 47% |
| Religious Studies | 25 | 12% | 31% | 28% | 32% | 60% |
| Biology | 22 | 11% | 23% | 9% | 45% | 59% |
| Design and Technology | 20 | 10% | 11% | 0% | 23% | 45% |
| Chemistry | 18 | 9% | 23% | 11% | 47% | 72% |
| Physics | 18 | 9% | 23% | 6% | 46% | 72% |
| Computer Science | 17 | 8% | 13% | 6% | 30% | 59% |
| Art and Design | 17 | 8% | 7% | 6% | 24% | 82% |
| Textiles | 8 | 4% | 2% | 0% | 27% | 100% |
| Polish | 1 | 0% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
| German | 1 | 0% | 5% | — | 33% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 54 | 100% | — |
| Health Studies | 42 | 100% | — |
| Engineering Studies | 36 | 97% | — |
| Small Business Management | 27 | 73% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 23 | 62% | — |
| Speech and Drama | 14 | 38% | — |
| Music performance: Group | 13 | 35% | — |
| Sports Studies | 11 | 30% | — |
| Dance: General | 7 | 19% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | Parkside School | Bradford | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 83 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 37 | 1,976 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | D+ | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 23.09 | 33.79 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | D | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 4% | 17% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sociology | 12 | 32% | 13% |
| Psychology | 11 | 30% | 23% |
| English Language and Literature | 10 | 27% | 2% |
| History | 10 | 27% | 13% |
| Chemistry | 10 | 27% | 17% |
| Biology | 9 | 24% | 20% |
| Mathematics | 7 | 19% | 31% |
| Law | 7 | 19% | 4% |
| Physics | 6 | 16% | 12% |
| Film Studies | — | — | 2% |
| Product Design | — | — | 2% |
| Art and Design | — | — | 1% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 10 | 27% | — |
| Business Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 8 | 22% | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Diploma L3 - Band N - PPP-D*D*D* | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma at Level 2 | — | — | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | OCR Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Nutrition / Diet | VRQ Level 3 | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Bradford
Beckfoot Oakbank
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82% stayed in education · Attainment 8 35.3
Beckfoot School
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Beckfoot Thornton
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Beckfoot Upper Heaton
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Belle Vue Girls' Academy
Academy converter · sixth form · 910 pupils
93% stayed in education · Attainment 8 43.2
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.