Christ Church Sowerby Bridge CofE (VA) Primary School, Sowerby Bridge
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
The school creates a happy, safe environment where children thrive and feel proud to be part of the school community. Teachers use effective teaching strategies, particularly in writing, with careful feedback that helps pupils improve their work. The school successfully supports disadvantaged pupils and has dramatically improved attendance through creative engagement with families.
Key Strengths
- Strong Christian values and loving family atmosphere where pupils and staff flourish
- Improved teaching of writing with consistent approaches benefiting all pupils, especially boys
- Effective support for disadvantaged pupils who make good progress from their starting points
- Rigorous assessment procedures that give leaders a clear picture of pupils' strengths and weaknesses
- Successful improvement in attendance rates, now above average
Areas for Improvement
- Further development of pupils' mathematical problem-solving and reasoning skills
- Strengthening mental arithmetic agility and speedy recall of number facts
- Increasing proportions of disadvantaged pupils achieving higher standards in reading, writing and mathematics
- Better alignment of assessment procedures with feeder infant school to strengthen transition
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective, with leaders and governors placing high priority on all aspects, rigorous staff checks, strong culture of vigilance, regular staff training, and well-established relationships with professional partners.
Christ Church CofE VA Junior School in Sowerby Bridge continues to be a good school with strong leadership that maintains educational quality and places pupils' wellbeing at the centre of decision-making. The headteacher and her team have created a loving, supportive environment where pupils feel happy and safe.
At a Glance
45.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 85% to 79%. Maths has remained stable at around 82%. Writing has remained stable at around 71%.
Class Sizes
28.0
Avg class size
28.0
KS2
3
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Train Stations
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
33%
Available places
70 pupils
210 capacity
140 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Sowerby Bridge
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Sowerby Bridge
Admissions Demand - Calderdale
Places available
2,943
Applications
1,899
Got 1st preference
95.6%
Got preferred school
98.9%
Primary admissions across Calderdale (2025/26)
Inspection History(7)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.58577%
Overall absence
17.44186%
Persistent absence
86
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Christ Church Sowerby Bridge CofE (VA) Primary School
Nearby Schools
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