Appleton Academy Catchment Area
Appleton Academy is an academy sponsor led special school in Bradford , serving pupils aged 3-16, with 1254 pupils, and a capacity of 1378 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
3-16
Age range
1,254
Pupils
1,378
Capacity
91%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2021
Appleton Academy Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Appleton Academy?
Appleton Academy is a special school in Bradford, and it does not use a standard catchment area. Bradford allocates places through each child's Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) rather than home-to-school distance, so placement depends on assessed need rather than a geographic boundary.
Admission to Appleton Academy follows a different process from mainstream schools. Bradford assesses each child's Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) to determine appropriate placement. Catchment area does not apply in the same way as mainstream admissions.
Get an alert if Appleton Academy goes oversubscribed for 2027 →
For more information on how Bradford assesses EHCP placements and which schools are named, contact the council's SEND team directly. The council must publish its Local Offer explaining available provision.
Find Bradford catchment area documents →Appleton Academy: 1378 places, 91% filled: nearing capacity
Appleton Academy has a published admission number of 1378 places. 1254 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 91%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 1378, Bradford's admissions team applies distance-based tiebreakers. Families within the school's historical catchment boundary are well placed, but a boundary check with the council is recommended before applying.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 50.3% of pupils at Appleton Academy are eligible for free school meals, above the national average of around 24%. This reflects the school's role in a higher-deprivation area of Bradford.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Appleton Academy: School Information
- Full address
- Woodside Road, Bradford, BD12 8AL
- Local authority
- Bradford
- School type
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase of education
- Special
- Age range
- 3-16 years
- Free school meals
- 50.3% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 145173
Other Special Schools in Bradford
If Appleton Academy is oversubscribed, these special schools in Bradford are the next closest alternatives.
Nearest special schools by distance
These are the special schools closest to Appleton Academy by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: Appleton Academy
What is the catchment area for Appleton Academy? ▾
Appleton Academy is a special school in Bradford, and it does not use a standard catchment area. Bradford allocates places through each child's Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) rather than home-to-school distance, so placement depends on assessed need rather than a geographic boundary.
Is Appleton Academy oversubscribed? ▾
Appleton Academy is operating close to its capacity of 1378 places (91% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for Appleton Academy? ▾
Admission to Appleton Academy is managed by Bradford. When oversubscribed, places go to looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment area distance. Always verify the current policy with the council before applying.
What age range does Appleton Academy cover? ▾
Appleton Academy is a special school in Bradford, serving pupils aged 3-16. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for Appleton Academy? ▾
Appleton Academy was rated Good by Ofsted in 2021. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.