St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton, Brighouse
St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Brighouse, part of St John's (ce) Primary Academy Trust, Clifton. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 4th-highest of the 9 schools in Brighouse with published results, and 4,333rd of 14,452 across England. It was 94% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Calderdale (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton in detail
St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton in its own words
In its own words: "At St John's we fervently believe in an active working partnership between home and school and we endeavour to develop excellent pupil, parent, teacher and staff relationships in order to promote the development of the individual."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils at St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton reached the expected standard in reading and 83% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 75% in Calderdale and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 72% in reading and 79% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton
For September 2026 entry, 17 families put St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton as their first choice and 36 named it as one of their preferences, for 20 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton are Woodhouse Primary School (1 mile, Good, 90% reading, 86% maths); St Andrew's CofE (VA) Junior School (1.2 miles, Outstanding, 83% reading, 77% maths); High Bank Junior Infant and Nursery School (1.3 miles, Good, 60% reading, 40% maths); and St Andrew's Church of England (VA) Infant School (1.4 miles, Good).
St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Woodhouse Primary SchoolSt Andrew's CofE (VA) Junior SchoolHigh Bank Junior Infant and Nursery SchoolSt Andrew's Church of England (VA) Infant School
The trust
St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton is run by its own single-school academy trust.
What parents say
60 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton (as of September 2025): 83% would recommend the school, 95% say their child is happy there and 63% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (95%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (63%).
Who goes there
7.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 3.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (81%), Mixed (8%) and Asian (6%).
In 2026, 29 pupils (14.6%) received SEN support and 4 (2%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Brighouse Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Towngate School, 70 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton issued 1 suspension, 0.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton are Rastrick High School (1.5 miles), All Saints Catholic College (1.7 miles) and Brighouse High School (1.8 miles).
Rastrick High SchoolAll Saints Catholic CollegeBrighouse High School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from June 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St John's creates a family-like environment where children feel safe, respected and excited about learning. The school excels in teaching reading through rigorous phonics and provides exceptional personal development opportunities that prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain. Staff are caring and supportive, with strong systems in place to help pupils with additional needs succeed.
Key Strengths
- Reading is a particular strength with rigorous phonics teaching ensuring pupils make strong progress and almost all pupils read books matched to their learning level
- Personal development is outstanding - pupils demonstrate maturity in discussing issues like safety, have strong knowledge of different faiths and cultures, and are exceptionally well prepared for life in modern Britain
- Pupils with SEND are securely identified and well supported with staff working hard to reduce barriers to learning and ensure they achieve well
- Behaviour is good throughout the school with pupils managing their behaviour well, taking pride in their work, and bullying being rare
- Strong pastoral relationships create a calm, purposeful atmosphere where pupils feel safe and respected
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers do not identify and address pupils' knowledge gaps and misconceptions quickly enough, which hinders progression through the curriculum
- In mathematics, activities do not routinely encourage pupils to reason and problem-solve early enough, limiting their ability to apply what they know
- Trustees lack secure systems to hold school leaders to account for education quality and have not been able to help set the strategic direction for improvement
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Wide range of clubs and activities, breakfast club, after-school club
St John's (CofE) Primary Academy is a warm, welcoming school where pupils feel part of a family and benefit from an ambitious curriculum that interests and challenges them. The school has demonstrated rapid improvement following a period of significant turbulence and maintains good standards across the board.
At a Glance
7.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
60 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 72% to 83% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 79% to 83% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 66% to 83% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.3
Avg class size
28.0
Infant (KS1)
28.5
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton
Autumn1 Issue 5 - 2 October 2026
2 Oct 2026
Autumn1 Issue 4 - 25 September 2026
25 Sep 2026
Autumn1 Issue 3 - 18 September 2026
18 Sep 2026
Autumn1 Issue 2 - 11 September 2026
11 Sep 2026
Autumn1 Issue 1 - 4 September 2026
4 Sep 2026
Summer2 Issue 7 - 17 July 2026
17 Jul 2026
From St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton is in Calderdale; for families living there:
Apply to Calderdale for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Calderdale is 12 (the median across 114 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton
Will you get a place at St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Calderdale, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Calderdale got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
94%
Near capacity
197 pupils
210 places
13 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Brighouse
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Brighouse
Across Calderdale council
Places available
2,848
Applications
1,863
Got 1st preference
96.6%
Got preferred school
99.4%
All primary applications across Calderdale council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
29
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
16.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
198
Total Pupils
98
Boys
100
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
18.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,238
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,052
Per pupil
£1070k
Total funding
£14k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.4%
Overall absence
2.9%
Persistent absence
172
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton
Questions parents ask about St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton
What are SATs results like at St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton?
Of the pupils at St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 83% reached the expected standard in reading and 83% did so in maths.
What is St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton's Ofsted rating?
St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton?
No fixed boundary. When St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton is oversubscribed, Calderdale allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton?
St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton was not full in 2025: it ran at 94% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton?
Classes at St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton average 28.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton?
St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton has around 198 pupils on roll. 7% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton?
3.4% of sessions were missed at St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton in 2024/25. 2.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton?
Apply through Calderdale's coordinated admissions process, naming St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Calderdale is 12 (the median across 114 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton?
St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton is at Towngate, Clifton, Brighouse, West Yorkshire, HD6 4HP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)