The North Halifax Grammar School, Halifax

In its own words: "NHGS is a school that everyone loves: where enthusiasm is infectious and excellence is standard; where co-operation is at the heart of all we do; where everyone strives to achieve their goals and is mindful of the right ways to do so."

From the headteacher's welcome: "I am delighted to introduce myself as the Headteacher at North Halifax Grammar School having served as teacher and leader at the school since 2008."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include coding and book club.

In 2026, pupils at The North Halifax Grammar School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 69.6, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 49 in Calderdale and 47 across England.

94% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 51% in Calderdale and 47% in England.

That is up from 68.5 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.18: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 66.5, against 69.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 3.3 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 20 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Biology and Physics.

The North Halifax Grammar School is a grammar school: places go to children who reach the required standard in its entrance test, and only then are the oversubscription criteria applied.

For September 2026 entry, 240 families put The North Halifax Grammar School as their first choice and 670 named it as one of their preferences, for 180 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 89 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The North Halifax Grammar School admits pupils through an entrance test, usually called the 11-plus. Children have to be registered for it in advance, normally in the spring or summer of Year 5; the test itself is usually sat in September of Year 6, and results come out in October, before the 31 October deadline for naming secondary schools.

Passing the test makes a child eligible rather than guaranteeing a place: when more children pass than there are places, The North Halifax Grammar School ranks them by the criteria in its admissions policy, which can include test score and distance. Check Calderdale's admissions pages and the school's own policy for this year's registration deadline - a child who is not registered in time cannot sit the test.

Calderdale has 2 state grammar schools in all, so a child who passes may have several selective schools to choose between.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The North Halifax Grammar School are Trinity Academy Halifax (0.3 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 49.4); Trinity Academy Bradford (1.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45); The Halifax Academy (2.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 39.6); and The Crossley Heath School (3 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 73.2).

The North Halifax Grammar School's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Of the 180 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 97% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 5% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 177 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 71% went on to university or other higher education, 8% to apprenticeships and 12% into work. 26% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 5.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (60%), Asian (30%) and Mixed (5%).

In 2026, 160 pupils (13.3%) received SEN support and 9 (0.7%) 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 autism.

The nearest railway station is Halifax Rail Station, about 2.7 miles away in a straight line.

31 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is North Halifax Grammar (stand h), 90 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 185 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and vehicle crime. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Calderdale (102), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, The North Halifax Grammar School issued 27 suspensions, 2.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The North Halifax Grammar School are Trinity Academy Whitehill (0.2 miles), Abbey Park Academy (0.5 miles), Moorside Community Primary School (0.7 miles) and Bradshaw Primary School (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.