St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School, Halifax
St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Halifax. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 5th-highest of the 42 schools in Halifax with published results, and 2,457th of 14,452 across England. It was 50% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
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 CofE (VC) J and I School in detail
St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School in its own words
In its own words: "We encourage everyone to achieve their potential, develop their talents, celebrate their uniqueness and rejoice in their relationships with others. 'I have come that you might have life, and have it more abundantly' John 10:10 At St Mary's we are an inclusive, small, rural, nurturing church school."
The school runs a breakfast club from 6:25am and after-school care until 4:30pm, from £5 per day.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 92% of Year 6 pupils at St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School 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 fell from 100% in reading and 92% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School
For September 2026 entry, 6 families put St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School as their first choice and 14 named it as one of their preferences, for 6 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 CofE (VC) J and I School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School are Triangle CofE VC Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 85% reading, 76% maths); Ripponden Junior and Infant School (0.9 miles, Good, 79% reading, 79% maths); Trinity Academy St Peter's (1.2 miles, Good, 79% reading, 86% maths); and Barkisland CofE VA Primary School (1.4 miles, Good, 84% reading, 84% maths).
St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Triangle CofE VC Primary SchoolRipponden Junior and Infant SchoolTrinity Academy St Peter'sBarkisland CofE VA Primary School
Who goes there
4.9% 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.
In 2026, 14 pupils (23%) received SEN support and 1 (1.6%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Sowerby Bridge Rail Station, about 2.1 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Mill Bank, 60 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 12 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Calderdale (102).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School issued 1 suspension, 1.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
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; 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 · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This small village school creates a warm, supportive community where children thrive. Teachers build strong relationships with families and deliver a well-planned curriculum that goes beyond academics to develop confident, articulate young people prepared for life beyond school. Pupils have wonderful opportunities to develop a broad range of talents and contribute meaningfully to their community.
Key Strengths
- Well-sequenced curriculum that helps pupils connect knowledge in meaningful ways
- Clear structure for teaching children to read with strong support from parents and staff
- Outstanding personal development with opportunities for pupils to have a positive influence on school life through the school council, Duke of Edinburgh's Award, and community projects
- Strong relationships between staff, pupils, parents and carers creating a supportive atmosphere
- Excellent teaching of life skills including safety, managing finances, understanding different cultures and faiths
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent use of assessment by teachers to check pupils' understanding and address misconceptions, which can leave some pupils waiting or moved on before they are secure
- Variable implementation of planned learning opportunities in Reception, with questions not always used effectively to deepen children's thinking
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with a positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, school council (eco-actions), 'funky food' ambassador programme, physics olympiad, village owl hunt, litter-picking, visits from local historians, music lessons, faith leader meetings
St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School is a warm and welcoming rural village school at the heart of its community where pupils achieve well and are extremely well prepared to be active citizens in modern Britain.
At a Glance
4.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 100% to 92% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 92% to 83% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 92% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
15.3
Avg class size
17.5
KS2
4
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School 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)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
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 CofE (VC) J and I School
Will you get a place at St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School.
- 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 CofE (VC) J and I School 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
50%
Available places
70 pupils
140 places
70 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(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
14
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
24.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
61
Total Pupils
34
Boys
27
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
4
Teachers
15.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,488
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,264
Per pupil
£521k
Total funding
£9k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.6%
Overall absence
8.0%
Persistent absence
75
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 CofE (VC) J and I School
Questions parents ask about St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School
What are SATs results like at St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School?
Of the pupils at St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 92% reached the expected standard in reading and 83% did so in maths.
What is St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School's Ofsted rating?
St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2017 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School?
No fixed boundary. When St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School 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 CofE (VC) J and I School?
St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School was not full in 2025: it ran at 50% of its 140 places.
How big are the classes at St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School?
Classes at St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School average 15.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School?
St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School has around 61 pupils on roll. 5% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School?
3.6% of sessions were missed at St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School in 2024/25. 8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School?
Apply through Calderdale's coordinated admissions process, naming St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School 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 Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Calderdale is 12 (the median across 114 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School?
St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School is at Mill Bank, Sowerby Bridge, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX6 3EJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)