St Malachy's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy, Halifax
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
St Malachy's creates a warm, caring environment where children feel valued and happy. The school excels at teaching reading and phonics, with skilled staff providing targeted support for struggling readers. Early years provision is particularly strong, preparing children well for Year 1 through engaging, collaborative learning experiences.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on reading with well-trained staff teaching phonics effectively - pupils who struggle receive targeted support
- Calm and productive classrooms with positive relationships between staff and pupils - behaviour has improved significantly over time
- Early years provision is engaging and well-led, with children developing strong collaborative skills
- Pupils quickly identified for additional support, including those with SEND who benefit from appropriate curriculum adjustments
- Thorough personal development programme helping pupils understand healthy relationships, internet safety, and equality
Areas for Improvement
- Subject content not taught in a logical order consistently - pupils sometimes complete tasks they can already do
- Assessment checks in some subjects not used to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge, so misconceptions persist
- Persistent absenteeism remains too high, particularly for disadvantaged pupils, affecting their academic achievement
- Too many pupils move to secondary school without sufficient skills and knowledge for success
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong culture around pupil safety and well-being.
Extracurricular Activities
Before- and after-school club, reading corners with wide range of texts
St Malachy's is an inclusive and caring school where pupils are happy and confident. While the school has made positive curriculum changes and improved behaviour significantly, pupils' published outcomes have not yet improved sufficiently.
At a Glance
55.8%
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 improved from 21% to 68%. Maths has improved from 46% to 58%. Writing has improved from 39% to 63%.
Class Sizes
23.5
Avg class size
20.5
Infant (KS1)
22.0
KS2
6
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
82%
Available places
172 pupils
210 capacity
38 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Halifax
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Halifax
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(4)
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
8.10885%
Overall absence
21.83099%
Persistent absence
142
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Reviews
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
St Malachy's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
Nearby Schools
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