Dalton School, Huddersfield

Ofsted's report card from its 10 February 2026 inspection grades Dalton School on 7 areas: 7 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils achieve well in writing."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Attendance rates for pupils, including for those who are disadvantaged and for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are positive."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have recently made changes to the curriculum."

Early years - Expected standard. "Staff work positively with parents and carers to ensure that their children are happy and settled."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "The provision for pupils who access the specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is a positive feature of the school."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Professional learning opportunities for staff have enabled them to develop a deeper understanding of how to fulfil their roles and responsibilities effectively."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders provide a well-constructed personal development programme for pupils."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that staff in the early years consistently design activities that enable children to effectively build on what they already know"; "Leaders should ensure that improvements to the teaching of writing are embedded so that pupils consistently have the knowledge that they need in writing to be suitably well prepared for the demands of secondary school and that these improvements are reflected in published outcomes".

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, rugby, cricket, tennis, multi-sports, dance, choir, STEM and book club.

The school runs a breakfast club, from £1 per day.

In 2025, 74% of Year 6 pupils at Dalton School reached the expected standard in reading and 72% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 75% in Kirklees and 77% and 75% across England.

Results were similar in 2024 (71% in reading, 76% in maths).

For September 2026 entry, 55 families put Dalton School as their first choice and 117 named it as one of their preferences, for 55 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Dalton School are St Joseph's Catholic Primary Academy (0.1 miles, 78% reading, 73% maths); Hill View Academy (0.5 miles, Good, 78% reading, 78% maths); Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School (0.7 miles, Good); and Netherhall Learning Campus Junior School (0.7 miles, Good, 60% reading, 52% maths).

Dalton School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.

84 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Dalton School (as of April 2026): 85% would recommend the school, 86% say their child is happy there and 62% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (88%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (62%).

Dalton School has a resourced provision for visual impairment: 11 places, 11 pupils on roll.

Dalton School had 29 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Deighton Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.

19 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Josephs Junior School (adjacent), 160 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 237 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Kirklees (153), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Dalton School issued 40 suspensions, 8.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Dalton School are Netherhall Learning Campus High School (0.7 miles) and King James's School (1.2 miles).