Valley Academy Catchment Area
Valley Academy is a free s secondary school in Bradford , serving pupils aged 11-16, with 364 pupils, and a capacity of 375 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
11-16
Age range
364
Pupils
375
Capacity
97%
Fill rate
Requires improvement
Ofsted 2023
Valley Academy Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Valley Academy?
The catchment area for Valley Academy is the geographic zone Bradford uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Bradford publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Secondary school places at Valley Academy are allocated by Bradford using ranked oversubscription criteria. Catchment area residence is typically among the highest priorities after looked-after children and siblings, and the boundary is reviewed each year.
Get an alert if Valley Academy goes oversubscribed for 2027 →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Bradford before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Bradford catchment area documents →Valley Academy: 375 places, 97% filled: nearing capacity
Valley Academy has a published admission number of 375 places. 364 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 97%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 375, 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. 51.1% of pupils at Valley 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.
Bradford publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Bradford Council school admissions (official) →
Valley Academy: School Information
- Full address
- Cliffe Terrace, Bradford, BD8 7DX
- Local authority
- Bradford
- School type
- Free schools
- Phase of education
- Secondary
- Age range
- 11-16 years
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 51.1% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 139474
Other Secondary Schools in Bradford
If Valley Academy is oversubscribed, these secondary schools in Bradford are the next closest alternatives.
Titus Salt School Catchment Area
Community school · BD17 5RH
Dixons City Academy Catchment Area
Academy sponsor led · BD5 7RR
Feversham Girls' Secondary Academy Catchment Area
Academy converter · BD3 0LT
Dixons Kings Academy Catchment Area
Free schools · BD7 2AN
Belle Vue Girls' Academy Catchment Area
Academy converter · BD9 6NA
Dixons Trinity Academy Catchment Area
Free schools · BD5 0BE
Nearest secondary schools by distance
These are the secondary schools closest to Valley 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions: Valley Academy
What is the catchment area for Valley Academy? ▾
The catchment area for Valley Academy is the geographic zone Bradford uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Bradford publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is Valley Academy oversubscribed? ▾
Valley Academy is operating close to its capacity of 375 places (97% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for Valley Academy? ▾
Admission to Valley 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 Valley Academy cover? ▾
Valley Academy is a secondary school in Bradford, serving pupils aged 11-16. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for Valley Academy? ▾
Valley Academy was rated Requires improvement by Ofsted in 2023. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.