St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy, Halifax
St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Halifax, part of Blessed Peter Snow Catholic Academy Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 25th-highest of the 42 schools in Halifax with published results, and 8,057th of 14,452 across England. It was 92% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Calderdale (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy in detail
Results
In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils at St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 73% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 75% in Calderdale and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (83% in reading, 71% in maths).
Getting a place at St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 37 families put St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy as their first choice and 72 named it as one of their preferences, for 37 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 Mary's Catholic Primary Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy are Parkinson Lane Community Primary School (0.4 miles, Outstanding, 75% reading, 80% maths); Holy Trinity Primary School, A Church of England Academy (0.4 miles, Requires improvement, 81% reading, 70% maths); Savile Park Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 57% reading, 45% maths); and Beech Hill School (0.6 miles, Good, 83% reading, 81% maths).
St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Parkinson Lane Community Primary SchoolHoly Trinity Primary School, A Church of England AcademySavile Park Primary SchoolBeech Hill School
The trust
St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy is one of 14 schools run by Blessed Peter Snow Catholic Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 59% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
15 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy (as of September 2025): 87% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 33% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (93%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (33%).
Who goes there
51.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (44%), White British (31%) and Black (10%).
In 2026, 41 pupils (15.1%) received SEN support and 18 (6.6%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Halifax Rail Station, about 1130 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).
24 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Swires Rd Westfield Street, 50 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 671 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 Calderdale (102), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy issued 6 suspensions, 2.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy are The Crossley Heath School (0.6 miles), The Halifax Academy (1 mile) and Park Lane Academy (1.6 miles).
The Crossley Heath SchoolThe Halifax AcademyPark Lane Academy
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in July 2021. Before that, as St Mary's Catholic Primary School (URN 107546), it was rated Good in October 2013.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Mary's is a welcoming place where children are kind to each other and embrace diversity. Teachers are well-trained and the school prioritizes reading, meaning even pupils who struggle get the right support to catch up. Children in Reception thrive in a stimulating environment where they develop as confident, independent learners.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on reading with highly skilled phonics teaching and support for struggling readers
- Well-designed personal, social and health education curriculum that helps pupils understand differences and stay mentally healthy
- Excellent behaviour and a calm, purposeful learning environment where bullying is rare
- Robust processes to identify and support pupils with SEND, allowing them to access learning alongside their peers
- Children in Reception classes benefit from well-resourced, exciting learning environments and regular story time
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers do not consistently check what pupils know well enough, meaning work is not always matched to their needs and misunderstandings are not addressed quickly
- Persistent absence among disadvantaged pupils remains too high, causing them to miss out on learning and school experiences
- Adult interactions in early years do not consistently challenge children to use their growing vocabulary during play
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with clear processes in place and a positive culture where pupils' interests are prioritized.
Extracurricular Activities
Happiness heroes peer support programme, school council, before- and after-school club
St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy is a happy school where pupils thrive with positive attitudes to learning and deep respect for one another. The school has an ambitious curriculum with high expectations, though some improvements are needed in checking what pupils have learned and supporting disadvantaged pupils' attendance.
At a Glance
29.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
15 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 declined from 83% to 78% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 73% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 74% to 69% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.2
Avg class size
27.0
Infant (KS1)
27.8
KS2
9
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy.
- Stagecoach Halifax King's ChurchAt the school · Not yet graded
- Kip McGrath Education UK Limited300m away · Not yet graded
- The Northern Lights Preschool and Out of School Club590m away · Ofsted: Outstanding
- First Class Learning Tuition Centre900m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy 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
- 45
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 9
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 45 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 9 serious and 35 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise.
10 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 Mary's Catholic Primary Academy
Will you get a place at St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Calderdale, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy for 2022 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.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
92%
Near capacity
290 pupils
315 places
25 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Halifax
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Halifax
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(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
41
SEN Support
18
EHC Plans
21.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
272
Total Pupils
142
Boys
130
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
17.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,426
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,615
Per pupil
£1821k
Total funding
£112k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.1%
Overall absence
12.0%
Persistent absence
276
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 Mary's Catholic Primary Academy
Questions parents ask about St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy
What are SATs results like at St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy?
Of the pupils at St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 78% reached the expected standard in reading and 73% did so in maths.
What is St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?
St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in July 2021. Before that, as St Mary's Catholic Primary School (URN 107546), it was rated Good in October 2013.
What is the catchment area for St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy 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 Mary's Catholic Primary Academy?
St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 92% of its 315 places.
How big are the classes at St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy?
Classes at St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy average 27.2 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy?
St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy has around 272 pupils on roll. 30% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy?
5.1% of sessions were missed at St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy in 2024/25. 12% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy?
Apply through Calderdale's coordinated admissions process, naming St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy 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 Mary's Catholic Primary Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Stagecoach Halifax King's Church (registered, not yet graded). There are 3 more within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 45 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 9 serious and 35 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise. 10 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 Mary's Catholic Primary Academy?
St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy is at Swires Road, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX1 2ER.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)