Dixons Cottingley Academy

Dixons Cottingley Academy is performing well overall, achieving a 'Good' rating in all areas assessed by inspectors. This is the first inspection since the school opened, and it demonstrates strong leadership with high aspirations for students. The school offers a broad academic curriculum, effectively catering to the diverse needs of its students, including those with special educational needs. Students are engaged and well-behaved, showing respect towards their peers and teachers. Extra-curricular activities further enhance the educational experience, allowing pupils to explore various interests and future pathways.

Strengths

• Strong academic curriculum focused on high expectations.
• Teachers have good subject knowledge and employ effective routines.
• Positive behaviour management with rare instances of bullying.
• Effective safeguarding measures in place.
• Diverse extra-curricular activities available for students.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent use of assessment data by teachers leading to some gaps in learning.
• High rates of suspensions, particularly among vulnerable pupils including those with SEND.
• Attendance rates have been too high, requiring further improvement.

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 Dixons Cottingley Academy attended 88.2% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 35.6% 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, 13.6% of pupils at Dixons Cottingley Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was 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 Dixons Cottingley Academy had 17.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.6% 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, 14.9% of pupils at Dixons Cottingley Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.4% 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 2024–25 Dixons Cottingley Academy received £8,562 and spent £8,298 for each of its 867 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £540,000 (£623 per pupil).

Across all 21 schools of Dixons Academies Trust, income was £8,572 and spending £8,488 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 Bingley · Bradford local authority: places and applications

Dixons Cottingley Academy is part of Dixons Academies Trust, which runs 21 schools. The nearest others:

• Dixons Allerton Academy Bradford
• Dixons Manningham Academy Bradford
• Dixons Kings Academy Bradford
• Dixons McMillan Academy Bradford
• Dixons Trinity Academy Bradford
• Dixons Music Primary Bradford
• Dixons Sixth Form, Bradford Bradford
• Dixons City Academy Bradford
• Dixons Marchbank Primary Bradford
• Dixons Unity Academy Leeds

What is Dixons Cottingley Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Dixons Cottingley Academy is Good, from an inspection in January 2023.

When was Dixons Cottingley Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Dixons Cottingley Academy was last inspected in January 2023.

How many pupils does Dixons Cottingley Academy have?

Dixons Cottingley Academy has 861 pupils on roll.

What age range does Dixons Cottingley Academy cover?

Dixons Cottingley Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Dixons Cottingley Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 44.5, and 41% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Dixons Cottingley Academy?

Dixons Cottingley Academy is at Cottingley New Road, Bingley, BD16 1TZ.