Joshua Mangas
School Intel

St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy

  • Secondary
  • Academy converter
  • Ages 11 to 18
  • Roman Catholic

URN 148520 · Bradford · BLESSED CHRISTOPHER WHARTON CATHOLIC ACADEMY TRUST

In Bradford

Inspection

Ofsted management information, as at 30 September 2026.

Latest report card inspection

19 May 2026
Inclusion
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching
Expected standard
Achievement
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard
Leadership and governance
Expected standard
Post-16 provision
Strong standard
Safeguarding standards
Met

Full inspection (section 5)

Report cards, used from 10 November 2025, grade each area on a five-point scale and give no overall grade. Safeguarding is met or not met.

Earlier inspection, different framework

Earlier graded inspection

26 September 2019

Overall effectiveness
Good

Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Sixth form provision
Good
Safeguarding is effective
Yes

This inspection was of the predecessor school, before it converted or reopened under its current URN.

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1

Under the earlier framework, inspections gave an overall effectiveness grade.

Read the reports on Ofsted’s website. Source: Ofsted, State-funded school inspections and outcomes: management information.

Attendance

Against Bradford and England, secondary schools.

Overall absence

2024/25

9.0%

Bradford
10.9%
England
8.4%

0.6 percentage points higher than England.

5.98.711.52017/182024/25
This schoolBradfordEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Overall absence
YearThis schoolBradfordEngland
2017/18Not published6.2%5.5%
2018/19Not published6.7%5.5%
2020/21Not published8.1%5.5%
2021/22Not published11.6%9.0%
2022/23Not published11.9%9.0%
2023/249.9%11.4%8.9%
2024/259.0%10.9%8.4%

Sessions missed for any reason, as a share of all possible sessions in the school year. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25.

Persistent absence

2024/25

24.2%

Bradford
31.0%
England
23.4%

0.8 percentage points higher than England.

15.224.934.62017/182024/25
This schoolBradfordEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Persistent absence
YearThis schoolBradfordEngland
2017/18Not published16.9%13.9%
2018/19Not published17.9%13.7%
2020/21Not published24.1%14.8%
2021/22Not published36.1%27.7%
2022/23Not published35.3%26.5%
2023/2430.9%33.6%25.6%
2024/2524.2%31.0%23.4%

Pupils who missed 10% or more of their possible sessions, as a share of pupils. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25.

Severe absence

2024/25

3.7%

Bradford
6.1%
England
3.9%

0.2 percentage points lower than England.

1.53.75.82017/182024/25
This schoolBradfordEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Severe absence
YearThis schoolBradfordEngland
2017/18Not published1.6%1.2%
2018/19Not published1.9%1.3%
2020/21Not published2.8%1.5%
2021/22Not published4.8%2.7%
2022/23Not published5.8%3.4%
2023/243.7%5.9%3.8%
2024/253.7%6.1%3.9%

Pupils who missed 50% or more of their possible sessions, as a share of pupils. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25.

Suspensions and permanent exclusions

Against Bradford and England, secondary schools.

Suspensions per 100 pupils

2024/25

12.26

Bradford
48.33
England
21.24

8.98 lower than England.

10.228.346.52017/182024/25
This schoolBradfordEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Suspensions per 100 pupils
YearThis schoolBradfordEngland
2017/18Not published10.4810.13
2018/19Not published13.0310.75
2019/20Not published10.557.43
2020/21Not published11.148.48
2021/22Not published22.6513.96
2022/23Not published41.4218.90
2023/2418.4449.2222.61
2024/2512.2648.3321.24

Suspensions in the school year for every 100 pupils on roll. One pupil can be suspended more than once. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, 2024/25.

Permanent exclusions per 100 pupils

2024/25

0.28

Bradford
0.28
England
0.23

0.05 higher than England.

0.10.20.32017/182024/25
This schoolBradfordEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Permanent exclusions per 100 pupils
YearThis schoolBradfordEngland
2017/18Not published0.060.20
2018/19Not published0.100.20
2019/20Not published0.130.13
2020/21Not published0.090.10
2021/22Not published0.120.16
2022/23Not published0.300.22
2023/240.280.350.25
2024/250.280.280.23

Permanent exclusions in the school year for every 100 pupils on roll. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, 2024/25.

Key stage 4 results

Against Bradford and England, secondary schools.

Attainment 8

2025/26 (provisional)

45.4

Bradford
42.2
England
47.4

2.0 lower than England.

42.145.749.32021/222022/232023/242024/252025/26
This schoolBradfordEngland
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Attainment 8
YearThis schoolBradfordEngland
2021/22Not published44.749.8
2022/23Not published41.747.2
2023/2445.541.746.9
2024/2544.541.647.1
2025/26 (provisional)45.442.247.4

The average of pupils' points across eight GCSE-level qualifications, with English and maths counted twice. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Key stage 4 performance, 2025/26.

English and maths: grade 4 or above

2025/26 (provisional)

68%

Bradford
58%
England
66%

2 percentage points higher than England.

5763692021/222022/232023/242024/252025/26
This schoolBradfordEngland
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English and maths: grade 4 or above
YearThis schoolBradfordEngland
2021/22Not published61%70%
2022/23Not published56%67%
2023/2464%57%67%
2024/2568%58%66%
2025/26 (provisional)68%58%66%

Pupils at the end of key stage 4 with grade 4 or above in both English and maths. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Key stage 4 performance, 2025/26.

English and maths: grade 5 or above

2025/26 (provisional)

47%

Bradford
40%
England
48%

1 percentage point lower than England.

3744502021/222022/232023/242024/252025/26
This schoolBradfordEngland
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English and maths: grade 5 or above
YearThis schoolBradfordEngland
2021/22Not published42%51%
2022/23Not published36%46%
2023/2437%38%47%
2024/2545%38%47%
2025/26 (provisional)47%40%48%

Pupils at the end of key stage 4 with grade 5 or above in both English and maths. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Key stage 4 performance, 2025/26.

Pupils

Against Bradford and England, secondary schools.

Eligible for free school meals

2024/25

24.6%

Bradford
34.2%
England
25.8%

1.2 percentage points lower than England.

21.827.633.32021/222022/232023/242024/25
This schoolBradfordEngland
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Eligible for free school meals
YearThis schoolBradfordEngland
2021/22Not published28.3%20.9%
2022/23Not published29.9%22.7%
2023/2423.4%31.9%24.1%
2024/2524.6%34.2%25.8%

Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals on census day in January. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

SEN support

2024/25

19.1%

Bradford
14.9%
England
13.4%

5.7 percentage points higher than England.

12.415.518.62021/222022/232023/242024/25
This schoolBradfordEngland
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SEN support
YearThis schoolBradfordEngland
2021/22Not published13.9%11.9%
2022/23Not published14.0%12.4%
2023/2418.8%14.3%12.9%
2024/2519.1%14.9%13.4%

Pupils receiving special educational needs support without an education, health and care plan. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

Education, health and care plan

2024/25

1.7%

Bradford
3.4%
England
3.1%

1.4 percentage points lower than England.

1.82.63.32021/222022/232023/242024/25
This schoolBradfordEngland
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Education, health and care plan
YearThis schoolBradfordEngland
2021/22Not published2.3%2.2%
2022/23Not published2.5%2.4%
2023/241.7%2.8%2.7%
2024/251.7%3.4%3.1%

Pupils with an education, health and care plan. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

First language other than English

2024/25

27.7%

Bradford
28.6%
England
19.2%

8.5 percentage points higher than England.

18.424.530.52021/222022/232023/242024/25
This schoolBradfordEngland
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First language other than English
YearThis schoolBradfordEngland
2021/22Not published31.4%17.5%
2022/23Not published30.3%18.1%
2023/2424.6%29.4%18.6%
2024/2527.7%28.6%19.2%

Pupils whose first language is known or believed to be other than English. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

Teachers

Against Bradford and England, secondary schools.

Pupils per qualified teacher

2025/26

18.0

Bradford
17.2
England
17.3

0.7 higher than England.

16.217.117.92017/182025/26
This schoolBradfordEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Pupils per qualified teacher
YearThis schoolBradfordEngland
2017/18Not published16.116.5
2018/19Not published16.516.8
2019/20Not published16.517.2
2020/21Not published16.517.1
2021/22Not published16.417.1
2022/23Not published16.817.2
2023/2417.817.117.4
2024/2517.917.217.3
2025/2618.017.217.3

Full-time equivalent pupils for each full-time equivalent qualified teacher. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, School workforce in England, 2025/26.

Teacher sickness absence

2024/25

9.0 days

Bradford
5.7 days
England
5.0 days

4.0 days higher than England.

Compared with all state-funded schools: DfE publishes this measure for all schools, not by phase.

4.26.48.72017/182024/25
This schoolBradfordEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Teacher sickness absence
YearThis schoolBradfordEngland
2017/18Not published4.6 days4.0 days
2018/19Not published4.6 days4.0 days
2019/20Not publishedNot publishedNot published
2020/21Not published5.4 days3.9 days
2021/22Not published6.9 days6.3 days
2022/23Not published6.2 days5.2 days
2023/247.9 days5.9 days5.3 days
2024/259.0 days5.7 days5.0 days

Days lost to sickness absence in the school year, averaged across all teachers. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, School workforce in England, 2024/25.

Finance

Academies report their accounts as part of their trust, so DfE publishes no school-level balance for this school. The trust’s figures are in DfE’s Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool.

See this school in the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool

About the school

Pupils on roll
1,800
Capacity
1,950
Type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
Age range
11 to 18
Sixth form
Has a sixth form
Admissions
Non-selective
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic
Trust
BLESSED CHRISTOPHER WHARTON CATHOLIC ACADEMY TRUST
Opened
1 September 2023
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Constituency
Bradford West
Deprivation of the area (IDACI)
Decile 3 of 10 (1 is the most deprived tenth of neighbourhoods)

Address: Highgate, Heaton, Bradford, BD9 4BQ

Website: sbsj.co.uk/

Telephone: 01274941941

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Sources and corrections

Every figure on this page names its source and period. This release was built on 20 October 2026.

Spotted something wrong? Report a correction with the school’s URN (148520). Fixes go out in the next weekly release.

St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy, URN 148520. https://joshuamangas.com/intel/school/148520/. Data release 20 October 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.