Ryecroft Primary Academy

Ryecroft Primary Academy has maintained effective standards since its last inspection, demonstrating a commitment to student achievement and well-being. The school fosters a positive environment where pupils are happy and eager to learn, developing both academic skills and personal character traits through various leadership opportunities and experiences. However, challenges remain, particularly in how some staff adapt learning for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and in consistently addressing basic errors in pupil work.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy and confident, showing enthusiasm for their learning.
• The school provides a range of leadership opportunities for pupils.
• High-quality texts and a strong phonics programme support effective early reading development.
• Effective arrangements for safeguarding are in place.
• The school promotes the importance of high attendance and rewards pupils for it.
• A variety of extracurricular activities are available to support pupils' interests.

Areas for Improvement

• Some adaptations for pupils with SEND are ineffective, hindering their learning.
• Teachers do not consistently identify and address basic errors in pupils' work in a timely manner.

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 Ryecroft Primary Academy attended 92.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 23.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

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, 6.3% of pupils at Ryecroft Primary Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). 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 Ryecroft Primary Academy had 21.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 27.3% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

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, 14.6% of pupils at Ryecroft Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

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 primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Ryecroft Primary Academy received £5,427 and spent £9,464 for each of its 184 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £221,000 (£1,202 per pupil).

Across all 62 schools of Delta Academies Trust, income was £7,459 and spending £7,562 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.

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All schools in Bradford · Bradford local authority: places and applications

Ryecroft Primary Academy is part of Delta Academies Trust, which runs 62 schools. The nearest others:

• Lower Fields Primary Academy Bradford
• Valley Academy Bradford
• Southmere Primary Academy Bradford
• Hanson Academy Bradford
• Whetley Academy Bradford
• Greengates Primary Academy Bradford
• Heckmondwike Primary Academy Heckmondwike
• Park View Primary Academy Leeds
• Eastborough Academy Dewsbury
• Manor Croft Academy Dewsbury

What is Ryecroft Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ryecroft Primary Academy is Good, from an inspection in March 2025.

When was Ryecroft Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Ryecroft Primary Academy was last inspected in March 2025.

How many pupils does Ryecroft Primary Academy have?

Ryecroft Primary Academy has 199 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ryecroft Primary Academy cover?

Ryecroft Primary Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Ryecroft Primary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 50% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Ryecroft Primary Academy?

Ryecroft Primary Academy is at Kesteven Close, Holmewood, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD4 0LS.