Best Schools in Calderdale

How many schools are there in Calderdale?

Calderdale has 114 open schools: 81 state primary, 14 state secondary or all-through, 4 independent, 13 special and 2 others.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Calderdale are rated Outstanding?

14 schools in Calderdale were rated Outstanding at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection: Compass Community School Willow Park, Luddendenfoot Academy, Trinity Academy Halifax, Parkinson Lane Community Primary School, The William Henry Smith School and Sixth Form and 9 more. Counting Good as well, 95% of the 95 graded schools here are rated Good or better. Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall grades in September 2024, so these are the grades from each school's last full inspection.

Compass Community School Willow ParkLuddendenfoot AcademyTrinity Academy HalifaxParkinson Lane Community Primary SchoolThe William Henry Smith School and Sixth Form

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Calderdale get the best GCSE results?

Of the 14 schools in Calderdale with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at The Crossley Heath School (selective grammar), with an Attainment 8 score of 73.2 and 97% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; The North Halifax Grammar School (selective grammar), with an Attainment 8 score of 69.6 and 94% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and The Brooksbank School, with an Attainment 8 score of 51.5 and 57% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Selective schools admit by ability, so their raw results are not a like-for-like comparison with comprehensives. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

The Crossley Heath SchoolThe North Halifax Grammar SchoolThe Brooksbank School

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Calderdale have the best SATs results?

Of the 76 primary schools in Calderdale with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at Colden Junior and Infant School (100% in reading, 100% in maths); St Joseph's Catholic Primary Academy (100% in reading, 100% in maths); and Bailiffe Bridge Junior and Infant School (97% in reading, 97% in maths). Small schools can swing a long way from one year to the next, because each pupil is a large share of the result.

Colden Junior and Infant SchoolSt Joseph's Catholic Primary AcademyBailiffe Bridge Junior and Infant School

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Calderdale?

Yes. The Crossley Heath School and The North Halifax Grammar School are state grammar schools in Calderdale. Grammar schools admit pupils by ability through an entrance test, usually sat at the start of Year 6.

The Crossley Heath SchoolThe North Halifax Grammar School

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Calderdale have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Calderdale have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, Calderdale allocates places on its published criteria - usually looked-after children first, then siblings, then home-to-school distance - so the practical cut-off moves each year. Each school's page here shows an estimate of its catchment radius.

How do I apply for a school place in Calderdale?

Apply to Calderdale through its coordinated admissions process, even for academies and faith schools. In England the closing date is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts. Independent schools run their own admissions, so apply to those directly.