Beckfoot Oakbank

Oakbank was founded from the Drake and Tonson School as Keighley Trade and Grammar School in 1871. Around 1900 it became Keighley Boys' Grammar School (KBGS) on Alice Street. Following a fire in 1962 in the Mechanics' Institute (which also provided the school with its assembly hall and some classrooms) new buildings were built in 1964. Parents and staff over a 4-year period also raised £25,000 for the original swimming pool, now built over. On its move it became firstly and rather confusingly Keighley School for a few years despite still being a grammar, then in 1968 became Oakbank Grammar School with new uniform and oak leaf badge, when administered under Keighley Committee for Education. It is perhaps ironic that the name change to Oakbank Grammar coincided with its change to comprehensive status. Sixth form retained the green blazers with white stripes at this time, and a "third year sixth" was offered for Oxford and Cambridge candidates to prepare.

It became a co-educational school in 1967 with one year's intake of sixth form girls, then the following year in 1968 a comprehensive school for ages 14 to 18, under the new name Oakbank Grammar School. The move from a boys' grammar school was phased over a few years with new co-ed comprehensive intakes in what was then known as the Fourth Form. It changed its name to Oakbank School in 1990. During the same period of time the school, with pupils aged 13 to 19, moved to its current site from Bronte Upper School. In 2000 it became a secondary school for 11- to 19-year-olds through a re-organisation of British schools.

It became a Sports College in 1997, and gained Technology College accreditation in 2004.

The school was visited by former Minister for Sport, Gerry Sutcliffe.

Previously a foundation school administered by City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, in September 2016 Oakbank School converted to academy status and was renamed Beckfoot Oakbank. The school is now sponsored by the Beckfoot Trust.

• Asa Binns, civil engineer[2]
• Gordon Bottomley, poet
• Asa Briggs, Baron Briggs, Chancellor of the Open University 1978–94, Vice-Chancellor 1967–76 of the University of Sussex. and Professor of History 1961–76
• Sir Herbert Butterfield, Vice Chancellor of the University of Cambridge 1959–61 and Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge 1955–68, Professor of Modern History 1944–63 at the University of Cambridge and President 1955–58 of the Historical Association
• Prof James Cameron, Professor of Philosophy 1960–71 at the University of Kent
• Sir Wilfred Cockcroft, mathematician, Vice-Chancellor 1976–82 of the New University of Ulster, Chief Executive 1983–88 of the Secondary Exams Council, and President since 1992 of the British Accreditation Council
• John Hatch, Baron Hatch of Lusby
• Dr Kevin Hawkins OBE, Director-General 2004–08 of the British Retail Consortium
• Sir Trevor Holdsworth CVO, Chairman of GKN 1980–88 and of National Power 1990–95, and Chancellor 1992–97 of the University of Bradford
• David Jeanes, rugby league player
• John Moffatt, Provost 1987–93 of the Queen's College, Oxford
• Percival Moore, illustrator
• Captain Sir Tom Moore, British Army officer, and fundraiser for the NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic.[3]
• Don Mosey, sports journalist and cricket commentator for Test Match Special
• Harry Riley, Professor of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry 1932–47 of King's College, Durham (Newcastle University)
• Peter Roe, rugby league player and coach
• Sir Bracewell Smith, Conservative MP 1932–45 for Dulwich
• Leonard James Spencer CBE, geologist and President 1936–39 of the Mineralogical Society
• Prof Geoffrey Tillotson, Professor of English Literature 1944–68 at Birkbeck, University of London
• George Watson, Professor of Medicine 1933–38 at the University of Leeds
• Lieutenant Dave Wright[4]

• Robert Westall, children's author (taught art at boys' grammar 1958–60)