Lightcliffe C of E Primary School, Halifax

Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Church of England
Ages 411

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~889m)Possible (~1.3km)Unlikely (~1.7km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Adelle Hustler Kate Dunkley
Pupils:370 / 420 capacity
LA:Calderdale
Phone:01422202235
Address:Wakefield Road, Lightcliffe, Halifax, HX3 8SH
Trust:ABBEY MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 August 2017

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 5 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Expected Standard
Leadership
Expected Standard
Early Years
Expected Standard
Inspected 28 April 2026View full report
URN:144865
UKPRN:10064681
Diocese:Diocese of Leeds (ce)
Constituency:Calder Valley
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

The school excels at teaching phonics and helping children develop strong speaking and listening skills. Teachers are skilled at checking understanding and building learning step-by-step, which means pupils make good progress. The school is particularly effective at supporting children with additional needs and those facing challenges, ensuring no child is left behind.

Key Strengths

  • Phonics teaching is a significant strength, with outcomes well above the national average
  • Strong focus on developing pupils' vocabulary and speaking skills with clear explanations and ambitious words taught weekly
  • Effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs, with quick identification of needs and focused planning
  • High expectations for behaviour and attendance, with a calm, respectful school atmosphere
  • Broad, carefully-designed curriculum that prepares children well for their next stage

Areas for Improvement

  • Inconsistent quality of handwriting in some lessons
  • Limited opportunities in some lessons for pupils to apply their writing knowledge in longer pieces of work
  • Some staff concerns about workload, though leaders are taking steps to address this

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met with leaders establishing an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified and managed, keeping pupils safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Sports fixtures, music, dance, choir, outdoor curriculum, art competitions, residential visits, theatre trips

Lightcliffe C of E Primary School is a well-led primary school where pupils achieve well, with particular strength in phonics. The school has created a safe, calm environment with positive behaviour and strong support for all learners.

At a Glance

9.5%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-11ppMaths+3ppWriting+16pp

Reading has declined from 82% to 71%. Maths has remained stable at around 73%. Writing has improved from 67% to 83%.

Class Sizes

28.3

Avg class size

26.8

Infant (KS1)

29.0

KS2

12

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Lightcliffe School (stop)
71m · 1 min walk
The Stray Park (at)
194m · 3 min walk
Leeds Rd Sutherland Road
280m · 5 min walk
Leeds Rd Knowle Top Road (adj)
295m · 5 min walk
St Matthew's Church
306m · 5 min walk
Can you get into this school?
Enter your postcode to find out

Commute Calculator

Find out if this school is reachable from your home - before you apply

Sign up free to see your commute to this school

What are my chances?

Enter your postcode to estimate your probability of getting a place.

Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

88%

Available places

370 pupils

420 capacity

50 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Halifax

Low pressure
New homes approved:982
Projected new pupils:246

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Halifax

Admissions Demand - Calderdale

Low demand0.65x oversubscription

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(4)

28 April 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years
1 December 2021
4 August 2017

House Prices

Moving into the catchment? See what homes near this school actually cost

Sign up free to see house prices near this school

SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

Sign up free to see special needs support at this school

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.

Sign up free to see who goes to this school

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.

Sign up free to see teacher and staff data

School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

Sign up free to see how this school is funded

Pupil Absence
2024/25

3.33216%

Overall absence

3.97727%

Persistent absence

352

Enrolments

Authorised2.65098%
Unauthorised0.68118%
Persistent (10%+)3.97727%
Severe (50%+)0.85227%

Absence trend

3.52945%
18/19
1.78654%
20/21
4.41437%
21/22
3.57939%
22/23
3.78678%
23/24
3.33216%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

Reviews

No reviews yet - be the first to leave one.

Leave a Review

You need to be signed in to leave a review.

Secondary Schools Nearby

Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to

Nearby Schools

Do you work at this school?

Claim your profile free to get a verified badge, update your contact details, and see how many parents are viewing your page.