South Craven School

South Craven School has been rated as 'Good' following its first routine inspection in nearly a decade, reflecting a significant change from its previous 'Outstanding' rating. The inspection considered various aspects including the quality of education, behavior, personal development, leadership, and sixth-form provision, all of which were rated as good. The school prides itself on being welcoming and inclusive, fostering positive relationships between staff and pupils, while also demonstrating high expectations for pupil behavior and attendance. Notable initiatives have been made to support pupils with special educational needs, although there remains work to be done to further develop the curriculum in certain subjects and promote a stronger culture of reading among students.

Strengths

• Strong relationships between staff and pupils
• High expectations for behavior and attendance
• Effective support for pupils with SEND
• Comprehensive extra-curricular opportunities
• Inclusive atmosphere promoting individual achievements

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum development in history and science is less thorough
• Attendance for SEND and disadvantaged pupils remains low

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at South Craven School attended 91.9% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 24.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 4.6% of pupils at South Craven School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 South Craven School had 21.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 4.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 9.5% of pupils at South Craven School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2023–24 South Craven School received £6,520 and spent £6,554 for each of its 1,874 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £2,999,000 (£1,600 per pupil).

Across all 5 schools of Apex Collaborative Trust, income was £6,972 and spending £6,928 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Keighley · North Yorkshire local authority: places and applications

South Craven School is part of Apex Collaborative Trust, which runs 5 schools. The nearest others:

• Laneshaw Bridge Primary Colne
• Colne Park High School Colne
• Colne Lord Street School Colne
• Blacko Primary School Nelson

What is South Craven School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for South Craven School is Good, from an inspection in March 2023.

When was South Craven School last inspected by Ofsted?

South Craven School was last inspected in March 2023.

How many pupils does South Craven School have?

South Craven School has 1,936 pupils on roll.

What age range does South Craven School cover?

South Craven School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are South Craven School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 46.7, and 41% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is South Craven School?

South Craven School is at Holme Lane, Cross Hills, Keighley, West Yorkshire, BD20 7RL.