Whetley Academy

Whetley Academy is performing well as a good school, emphasizing a supportive and inclusive environment where pupils feel safe and valued. The leadership team prioritizes the welfare of students and instills high expectations for academic achievement, leading to strong outcomes for students, including those with special educational needs. The school has successfully implemented an engaging curriculum that promotes literacy, with significant focus on phonics and reading, ensuring that students develop a love for learning and are equipped with the necessary skills to succeed.

Strengths

• Inclusive and caring school environment
• High expectations for all pupils' achievement
• Strong emphasis on literacy and phonics from early years
• Effective support for pupils with SEND
• Engaging curriculum developed by knowledgeable leaders
• Positive relationships among pupils and staff
• High staff morale and effective professional development

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent use of assessment in some foundation subjects
• Need for more precise checks on pupils' understanding before introducing complex tasks

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 Whetley Academy attended 92.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 26.5% 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, 0.9% of pupils at Whetley 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 Whetley Academy had 28.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 30.8% 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, 15.0% of pupils at Whetley Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.1% 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 Whetley Academy received £7,445 and spent £6,886 for each of its 438 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £488,000 (£1,116 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.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

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

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

What is Whetley Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Whetley Academy is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.

When was Whetley Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Whetley Academy was last inspected in November 2023.

How many pupils does Whetley Academy have?

Whetley Academy has 387 pupils on roll.

What age range does Whetley Academy cover?

Whetley Academy for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Whetley Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Whetley Academy?

Whetley Academy is at Whetley Lane, Girlington, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD8 9HZ.