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St John's Primary School In Rishworth, Sowerby Bridge

Good
Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Church of England
Ages 4–11

St John's Primary School In Rishworth is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Sowerby Bridge, part of St John's Church of England Primary School, Rishworth. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2022. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 9 schools in Sowerby Bridge with published results, and 1,876th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 104% of capacity.

SATs results
Above England average
Ofsted
Good (2022)
Demand
Every first choice offered
Attendance
Better than England average
New inspections, open days and news, by email.

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 Primary School In Rishworth in detail

St John's Primary School In Rishworth in its own words

In its own words: "“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your father in heaven.” Following Matthew 5:16, people shine through success, honesty, independence, neighbourliness and enjoyment. We believe children learn best when they’re happy and have the confidence to respond to challenges, within a caring Christian environment where adults lead by example."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, cricket, athletics, gymnastics, cross-country, running, karate, choir and recorder.

The school runs a breakfast club from 6:75am and after-school care.

Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)

Source: The school's own website

Results

In 2025, 89% of Year 6 pupils at St John's Primary School In Rishworth reached the expected standard in reading and 89% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 75% in Calderdale and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 88% in reading and 84% 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 Primary School In Rishworth

For September 2026 entry, 20 families put St John's Primary School In Rishworth as their first choice and 31 named it as one of their preferences, for 20 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

Admissions history and your chances at St John's Primary School In Rishworth

Compared with nearby schools

The nearest other state primary schools to St John's Primary School In Rishworth are Ripponden Junior and Infant School (1.4 miles, Good, 79% reading, 79% maths); Barkisland CofE VA Primary School (1.8 miles, Good, 84% reading, 84% maths); St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School (2 miles, Good, 92% reading, 83% maths); and Triangle CofE VC Primary School (2.7 miles, Good, 85% reading, 76% maths).

St John's Primary School In Rishworth's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Ripponden Junior and Infant SchoolBarkisland CofE VA Primary SchoolSt Mary's CofE (VC) J and I SchoolTriangle CofE VC Primary School

The trust

St John's Primary School In Rishworth is run by its own single-school academy trust.

Who goes there

3.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (93%) and Mixed (5%).

In 2026, 19 pupils (12.5%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.

Staffing

St John's Primary School In Rishworth had 6 teachers in 2026, one for every 24 pupils: fewer teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

Getting there

The nearest railway station is Slaithwaite Rail Station, about 3.8 miles away in a straight line.

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St John's Close, 160 metres away.

The area around the school

In August 2026, police recorded 9 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Calderdale (102).

Suspensions and exclusions

St John's Primary School In Rishworth recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.

Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Headteacher Joanna Wasyliw
Pupils:152
LA:Calderdale
Phone:01422822596
Address:Godly Lane, Rishworth, Sowerby Bridge, HX6 4QR
Trust:ST JOHN'S CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL, RISHWORTH
Status:open
Opened:1 December 2012

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 4 years ago
Good

Overall

Good

Quality of Education

Outstanding

Behaviour & Attitudes

Outstanding

Personal Development

Good

Leadership & Management

Good

Early Years

Inspected 13 July 2022View full report
URN:139040
UKPRN:10039605
Diocese:Diocese of Leeds (ce)
Constituency:Calder Valley
Urban/Rural:Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

Ofsted rated this school Good at its July 2022 inspection.

Rated Outstanding for

Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development.

Rated Good for

Quality of education, Leadership & management, Early years.

At a Glance

3.9%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2024/25

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+1ppMaths+5ppWriting+5pp

Reading has remained stable at around 89% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 84% to 89% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 84% to 89% (2024 to 2025).

Class Sizes

29.0

Avg class size

2

Total classes

2025/26 academic year

How Does This School Compare?

Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools

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Latest from St John's Primary School In Rishworth

From St John's Primary School In Rishworth's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.

Social & online

Keep up with St John's Primary School In Rishworth

Before and after school care

Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St John's Primary School In Rishworth.

  • St John's Out of School Club (Rishworth)At the school · Not yet graded

Getting There

Bus Stops

St John's Close
157m · 3 min walk
Godly Lane (at)
226m · 4 min walk
Rishworth New Road (at)
232m · 4 min walk
The Malthouse (at)
301m · 5 min walk
Rishworth Hall Close
313m · 5 min walk

Free school transport

Check free transport to St John's Primary School In Rishworth from your postcode →

You apply to the council where you live. St John's Primary School In Rishworth 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
2
Fatal
0
Serious
1
Children hurt
0

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight.

No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.

0 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.

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Commute and house prices

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Your chances of a place at St John's Primary School In Rishworth

Will you get a place at St John's Primary School In Rishworth? Get the admissions report

Your home postcode, set against St John's Primary School In Rishworth's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.

What the report includes for St John's Primary School In Rishworth:

  • The straight-line distance from your home to St John's Primary School In Rishworth.
  • 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 Primary School In Rishworth 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

104%

Over capacity

145 pupils

140 places

5 pupils over capacity in 2025

2025, DfE school capacity data

Area Demand Pressure - Sowerby Bridge

Low pressure
New homes approved:224
Projected new pupils:56

Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sowerby Bridge

Across Calderdale council

Low demand council-wide0.65 applications per place

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(4)

13 July 2022
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesOutstanding
Personal DevelopmentOutstanding
Leadership & ManagementGood
Early YearsGood
13 February 2019
4 March 2015
Leadership & ManagementGood

SEND & SEN Provision

SEN Overview

19

SEN Support

0

EHC Plans

12.5%

of Total Pupils

2026 academic year

Provision & Specialist Facilities

No specialist provision recorded

Pupils by Need Type

Moderate Learning Difficulty9
Specific Learning Difficulty4
Speech, Language & Communication3
Social, Emotional & Mental Health2
Physical Disability1
EHC Plan
SEN Support

Pupil Demographics

Ethnicity

White British
92.8%
Mixed
5.3%
Other
0.7%
Unclassified
1.3%

2026 academic year

Key Indicators

Free School Meals3.9%
English as Additional Language0.0%

152

Total Pupils

77

Boys

75

Girls

2026 academic year

Workforce

6

Teachers

25.3:1

Pupil-teacher ratio

£57,035

Mean salary

2026 data

School Funding

£5,175

Per pupil

£813k

Total funding

£8k

Pupil premium

Deprivation£12,722
Sparsity£5,000
Lump sum£145,125

2025-26 financial year allocations

Pupil Absence
2024/25

2.0%

Overall absence

1.6%

Persistent absence

124

Enrolments

Authorised1.3%
Unauthorised0.7%
Persistent (10%+)1.6%
Severe (50%+)0.0%

Absence trend

2.8%
18/19
1.6%
20/21
5.0%
21/22
3.9%
22/23
3.1%
23/24
2.0%
24/25
Overall absence rate

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

Questions parents ask about St John's Primary School In Rishworth

What are SATs results like at St John's Primary School In Rishworth?

Of the pupils at St John's Primary School In Rishworth who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 89% reached the expected standard in reading and 89% did so in maths.

What is St John's Primary School In Rishworth's Ofsted rating?

St John's Primary School In Rishworth was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2022.

What is the catchment area for St John's Primary School In Rishworth?

No fixed boundary. When St John's Primary School In Rishworth 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 Primary School In Rishworth?

St John's Primary School In Rishworth was full in 2025, at 104% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.

How big are the classes at St John's Primary School In Rishworth?

Classes at St John's Primary School In Rishworth average 29 pupils (2025/26).

How many pupils go to St John's Primary School In Rishworth?

St John's Primary School In Rishworth has around 152 pupils on roll. 4% are eligible for free school meals.

What is attendance like at St John's Primary School In Rishworth?

2% of sessions were missed at St John's Primary School In Rishworth in 2024/25. 1.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).

How do I apply to St John's Primary School In Rishworth?

Apply through Calderdale's coordinated admissions process, naming St John's Primary School In Rishworth 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.

Does St John's Primary School In Rishworth have a breakfast club or after-school club?

Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: St John's Out of School Club (Rishworth) (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.

How many road collisions happen near St John's Primary School In Rishworth?

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Primary School In Rishworth?

St John's Primary School In Rishworth is at Godly Lane, Rishworth, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX6 4QR.

Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)

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