SecondaryState · Academy sponsor led

The Farnley Academy

Chapel Lane, Farnley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS12 5EU ·

Ofsted:Outstanding· 2023

At a glance

A state secondary academy for ages 11–18 in Leeds. Rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection (September 2023). GCSE results are above the England average (Attainment 8: 49.1 vs 46.1, 2024/25). Oversubscribed: 317 families put it first for 295 places (September 2026 entry).

Ages: 11–18
Pupils: 1,492
Gender: Mixed
Sixth form: Yes
Admissions: Non-selective
Local authority: Leeds
Academy trust: THE GORSE ACADEMIES TRUST
Headteacher: Mr Richard Cooper
Opened: Feb 2012

School website 01132630741 Explore the area

Inspection

Ofsted (framework in use until November 2025)

Read reports

Graded inspection 19 Sept 2023

OutstandingOverall effectiveness

Quality of education: Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding
Personal development: Outstanding
Leadership and management: Outstanding

Safeguarding effective: Yes

Inspection reports describe the school on the day. Read the full report and visit the school before deciding.

Exam results

Department for Education performance tables

GCSE results, 2024/25 · 293 pupils

Attainment 8

49.1

England 46.1

Grade 5+ Eng & maths

50.9%

England 45.4%

Grade 4+ Eng & maths

71.3%

England 64.8%

Progress 8

+0.53

2023/24 · CI 0.36 to 0.69

This school

49.1

Leeds

45.5

England

46.1

Attainment 8 over time

Progress 8 isn't published for 2024/25 because those pupils had no KS2 test results (tests were cancelled in 2020). Exams were not held in 2019/20 or 2020/21.

Admissions

Demand for places and how places are allocated

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Year 7 entry, September 2026 (national offer day data)

Offers made

295

1st preferences

317

All applications

767

1st prefs per place

1.07

More first choices than places

278 of 317 first-preference applicants were offered a place (88%).

Oversubscribed with first preferences

Catchment area

We don't have an official catchment boundary for this school. Many schools don't have one, and few councils publish boundaries as open data. We don't estimate catchments. Check the school's admissions policy or the council's admissions booklet.

Last distance offered

Not published nationally. Many councils publish the furthest distance offered for each school in their annual allocation reports. Past distances vary year to year with demand and sibling numbers, so they are not a guarantee.

How places are allocated: you apply through your home council. When a school has more applicants than places, it applies its published oversubscription criteria in order. These usually start with looked-after children, then siblings, then catchment or distance; faith schools may prioritise church attendance. Children with an EHC plan naming the school are admitted first. Apply on GOV.UK

Pupils

School census 2024/25

Pupils

1,501

Capacity

1,210

123% full

Girls / boys

48/52

Mixed

Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)33.2%
English as an additional language11.9%
SEN support16.3%
Education, Health and Care plan0.8%
The black tick shows the median for state-funded secondary schools in England.