The top five most oversubscribed secondary schools in the Bradford district have been revealed, and include inner city academies, two Bingley schools and the country's biggest Catholic school.

The schools that received the most applications for pupils to start Year 7 compared to spaces available were Bingley Grammar School, Dixons City Academy on Ripley Street, Dixons Trinity Academy, on Trinity Road, Beckfoot School, an academy in Bingley, and St Bede’s and St Joseph’s Catholic College, which is based over two sites in Heaton and Manningham.

The exact numbers of unsuccessful applications to the schools have not been revealed, but one councillor says more needs to be done to give parents the confidence to send their children to any district school.

Last month it was revealed that a quarter of children did not get into their first choice secondary school, and recent estimates show there will be a shortage of 504 places across the district for pupils starting in year seven in 2019.

Of the schools, Beckfoot, Bingley Grammar and Dixon's City Academy all finished in the top eight in GCSE league tables in the district. The other schools have not yet had any pupils sit GCSE exams.

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Dixons Trinity Academy and Beckfoot School were rated outstanding in their most recent Ofsted inspections, while Dixons City Academy and Bingley Grammar were rated "good." St Bede's and St Joseph's has not been inspected since it was created from the merger of the two single sex Catholic schools last year.

Beckfoot is in the process of taking over the running of Belle Vue Boys School in Heaton, currently undersubscribed and placed in special measures last year.

Councillor Ralph Berry, executive for children's services at Bradford Council, said: "We are facing a crisis in the finding of new school places. Some areas face particular pressures, and that what I'm very concerned about.

"Some schools in particular are very popular, and we need more from the government to relieve this pressure."

He pointed to the fact that the Department for Education had recently turned down an application by the council to create more spaces at Ilkley Grammar School.

He does feel that the recently approved Dixons McMillain Academy in the city centre could help relieve some of the pressures in that area of Bradford.

Councillor Debbie Davies, Conservative spokesman for education, said: "Until some of the district's schools improve, then there will be people willing to drive past some schools to get to better schools. We need to improve the schools that aren't so popular, and give parents the confidence that their children will get a good education there. That is what will relieve pressure."

Liberal Democrat Councillor Jeanette Sunderland said: "The schools on this list aren't surprising, parents aspire to send their children to the best performing schools. It is the job of the educational establishment to make sure more schools are performing well.

"They also need to stop building housing in areas where there are not enough school places."

Later this month the appeals process will begin for families who are unhappy with the school they were allocated.

A Bradford Council spokesman said: "Secondary appeals are being held from April 27. All appeals that were received on time, by March 27, will be heard by June 15. Any appeals that are submitted late will be heard as soon as possible."