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Bradford in Figures

Education and Training

Following a major reorganisation of schools in 1999/2000 from a three tier to a two tier system, Bradford maintains 158 primary schools, 28 secondary schools, 12 special schools, seven nursery schools, and four pupil referral units.  

Following a highly critical OFSTED inspection of the LEA in 2001, a private company was awarded a 10 year contract by the Council to manage the central support services to education.

Within the District there are also 27 providers of work-based learning, three Further Education Colleges and the University of Bradford .

School Population 2002 - 2003

In the academic year 2002 - 2003 there were 87,622 full and part-time pupils at the District's schools. This figure includes more than 51,000 pupils at primary schools, over 34,000 pupils at secondary schools, 670 children at nursery schools and more than 950 children at special schools, including the community nurseries.

Minority ethnic groups make up 19% of the population overall, and one third of the school population. The majority are British Muslims of Pakistani or Bangladeshi origin.

Overall performance of school pupils 2002 - 2003

School children take a number of tests at the end of each key stage of their school careers. These tests include: Key Stage One (for seven years olds), Key Stage Two (eleven year olds), Key Stage Three (fourteen year olds), Key Stage Four (sixteen year olds taking GCSE's, or GNVQ's), and Key Stage Five (eighteen year olds taking GCE A Levels, advanced GNVQ's or AVCE's).

Results for each key stage have improved since 2001; overall Bradford schools are still below the national average for most key stages, however improvements at key stage 3 are greater than the national average.

* Key Stage 2

The benchmark at Key Stage 2 is the percentage of pupils scoring level 4 or better. The Government's targets for 2003 were that at least 80% of pupils reach level 4 or higher in English, and 75% reach level 4 or higher in Maths.

Bradford's pupils have improved in English and Science, although none of the Government targets was achieved.

* Key Stage 4

The majority of students take GCSEs, but an increasing number take GNVQ at foundation or intermediate level. (For this table, the results of the GNVQs have been expressed as GCSE equivalents and combined with the GCSEs to give overall percentage scores). The benchmark at Key Stage 4 is the percentage of pupils achieving five or more A*-C grades. The national target for 2003 was that 50% of students should achieve five or more A*-C grades, and that 95% should achieve one or more A*-C grades.  

Overall there was a 2.2% improvement in the percentage achieving the benchmark measure of five or more A*-C grades; but a reduction in the percentage achieving five or more passes at any level, and one or more passes at any level. Overall the national targets were not reached locally, although 4 (out of 26) Bradford secondary schools achieved the 50% target, and 11 achieved the 95% target.

* Key Stage 5

Key Stage 5 is more usually known as GCE 'A' level. The A level point score quoted in the table below is a combination of qualifications taken at this level, including advanced GNVQ's and AVCE's, as well as 'AS' results. Although the points scoring system has changed, both figures quoted use the old system to make them comparable (this means that no comparison can be made with national results for 2002).

There are no statutory targets at this key stage.

Performance by Ethnicity and Gender

There are differences between boys' and girls' performances at all key stages, both nationally and locally. Within ethnic groups, the patterns tend to be much the same, in that; for example, girls of any ethnic origin usually do better in English than boys of the same ethnicity but about the same in Maths and Science (except at Key Stage 1 where girls usually out perform boys in all subjects).

GCSE and A level results show that girls generally achieve higher scores than boys. Bangladeshi and Pakistani boys achieve the lowest scores for GCSEs and A levels respectively, and overall Indian pupils achieve significantly higher scores than white pupils and other ethnic groups in the District.

* There are low numbers of pupils from these ethnic groups, so the results should be treated with caution.

Achievement levels of adults

The Autumn 2002 Labour Force Survey found that 63% of economically active people of working age in the District were qualified to at least Level 2 (the average for England as a whole is 69%) of these, 22% were qualified to Level 4 (the average for England is 28%). Within West Yorkshire, only Wakefield had lower achievement levels (62% at level 2, and 20% at Level 4). This means that Bradford has not achieved the National Learning Target for 2002 - 28% of economically active adults should be qualified to Level 4.

(Level 2 qualifications include 5 GCSE's at grades A*-C, an NVQ level 2, an Intermediate GNVQ or any equivalent

Level 4 qualifications include any degree, higher degree, an NVQ level 4 or any equivalent of these).

* Work based learning

In 2000/1 more than 2,000 people undertook work-based learning delivered by 27 providers, including the three FE colleges; this included advanced and   foundation modern apprenticeships, occupational training leading to National Vocational Qualifications ('NVQ's'), and life skills programs.

A large number of young people leave work-based learning without completing their qualifications - over the three years prior to 2001, 65% of young people left without completing their apprenticeships or achieving their qualifications.

Bradford lagged behind the national figures for NVQ qualifications for young people in 2000, with attainment levels of 60% at NVQ Level 2 (the national figure was 75%), and 40% at NVQ Level 3 (the national figure was 54%).

* Progression to Higher Education

Low numbers of Bradford students progress to Higher Education. Overall about 14% of young people aged 18 progressed to HE in 2000, and a further 24% continued in Further Education at school or college. The Government's target is that 50% of all 18-30 year olds should be participating in Higher Education by 2010.

More information

For more information about Education in Bradford

http://www.educationbradford.com

For more information about the Department for Education and Skills

http://www.dfes.gov.uk

For more information about Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education)

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk

This site was last updated on 22nd January 2004