Carlton Keighley

Academy · Secondary, ages 11 to 16 · Mixed

Part of CARLTON ACADEMY TRUST

Green Head Road, Utley, Keighley, BD20 6EB

01535 210333 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 28 January 2020; confirmed 2025
Grade 5 or above in English and maths37%England 45% · 2024/25
2nd highest of 4 state secondary schools in Keighley.
Higher than 31% of 3,259 state secondary schools in England.
Pupils809Room for 900 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 607 in 2019, 632 in 2021, 676 in 2022, 714 in 2023, 762 in 2024, 790 in 2025, 809 in 2026. Across England, secondary state school pupil numbers were up 10% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place1.3230 for 171 places, September 2026
1st highest of 4 state secondary schools in Keighley.
Higher than 89% of 3,219 state secondary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 28 January 2020.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
SafeguardingEffective

Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 26 February 2025: Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

18 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025.

Keighley comparisons use the 3 of its 4 state secondary schools with comparable results. The other one has no published Parent View results (Ofsted only publishes a survey once at least 10 parents answer) or used Ofsted's newer questions, which we don't compare with the older ones.

StatementThis schoolKeighleyEngland
My child is happy at this school
1st highest of 3 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Keighley.
Higher than 49% of 1,763 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
83% 49% 89%
My child feels safe at this school
1st highest of 3 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Keighley.
Higher than 40% of 1,763 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
83% 56% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved
1st highest of 3 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Keighley.
Higher than 78% of 1,763 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
89% 34% 84%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 14 parents who had raised a concern
1st highest of 3 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Keighley.
Higher than 73% of 1,736 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
79% 35% 76%
My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 11 parents of children with SEND
1st highest of 3 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Keighley.
Higher than 90% of 789 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
82% 35% 68%
I would recommend this school to another parent
1st highest of 3 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Keighley.
Higher than 58% of 1,763 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
83%said yes 35% 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 2%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. Keighley figures pool parents at the Keighley schools compared, from each school's latest survey, so survey dates differ between schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

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Results

GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25

144 pupils in this year group.

37% — about the same as the Bradford average, and 9 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolBradfordEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 37% 38% 45%
Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. 38.6 40.8 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. 3.1 3.6 4.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
20% 30% 40% 50% 60% England 2022/23: 45%England 2023/24: 46%England 2024/25: 45% This school 2022/23: 26%This school 2023/24: 27%This school 2024/25: 37% This school England 45% 2022/23 26% 2023/24 27% 2024/25 37%

Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.

Source: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

After Year 11

Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.

129 pupils in this year group.

85% — 3 points below the Bradford average, and 7 points below the England average.

Where pupils went after Year 11
This school 23%57%10%
England 34%13%37%
MeasureThis schoolBradfordEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 85% 88% 92%
School sixth form 23% 33% 34%
Sixth form college 2% 11% 13%
Further education college 57% 39% 37%
Apprenticeship 2% 3% 3%
Work 2% 2% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
90%85%

Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Bradford. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

How hard is it to get in?

For the September 2026 intake there were about 1.5 first-choice applications for every place.

Places offered171
Families who put it first230
Of those, offered a place161 (70%)
Families who listed it at all406

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.4 · 2025: 1.2 · 2026: 1.3

This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.

Admissions dates and schools in Bradford

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolBradfordEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
3rd highest of 4 state secondary schools in Keighley.
Higher than 64% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
32.8% 35.3%* 28.9%
With an education, health and care plan
2nd highest of 4 state secondary schools in Keighley.
Higher than 79% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
4.4% 3.5%* 3.1%
Receiving special educational needs support
3rd highest of 4 state secondary schools in Keighley.
Higher than 65% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
15.8% 15.0%* 13.4%
English as an additional language
1st highest of 4 state secondary schools in Keighley.
Higher than 89% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
44.8% 28.5%* 19.2%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
2nd lowest of 4 state secondary schools in Keighley.
Lower than 53% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
8.2% 10.8%* 8.4%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
1st lowest of 4 state secondary schools in Keighley.
Lower than 48% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
23.8% 30.4%* 23.4%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
2nd lowest of 4 state secondary schools in Keighley.
Lower than 45% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
16.5 48.3 21.2
Pupils suspended at least once
2nd lowest of 4 state secondary schools in Keighley.
Lower than 26% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
10.3% 12.5% 7.3%
Pupils permanently excluded2 pupils 0.25% 0.28% 0.23%
Pupils per teacher
4th highest of 4 state secondary schools in Keighley.
Higher than 6% of 3,442 state secondary schools in England.
13.9 16.8 16.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
3rd highest of 4 state secondary schools in Keighley.
Higher than 6% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
9.2 11.1 11.8
Teachers who left during the year
3rd highest of 4 state secondary schools in Keighley.
Higher than 52% of 3,430 state secondary schools in England.
13.6% 16.7%* 14.2%*

Comparisons are with secondary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

Nearby secondary schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is Carlton Keighley's Ofsted rating?

Carlton Keighley was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 28 January 2020. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 26 February 2025, Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.

How did Carlton Keighley do in its GCSEs?

In 2024/25, 37% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 9 points below the England average of 45%.

Would parents recommend Carlton Keighley?

83% of the 18 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025 said they would recommend Carlton Keighley to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Is Carlton Keighley oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 230 families put Carlton Keighley as their first choice for 171 places: about 1.5 first-choice applications for every place. 161 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.