Tuel Lane Infant School has closed (Sunday 12 April 2026).
It merged with another school.
Tuel Lane Infant School, Sowerby Bridge
Tuel Lane Infant School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 7 in Sowerby Bridge. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2023. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade. It was 45% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
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 8 Oct 2026
Tuel Lane Infant School in detail
Getting a place at Tuel Lane Infant School
For September 2026 entry, 9 families put Tuel Lane Infant School as their first choice and 18 named it as one of their preferences, for 11 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Tuel Lane Infant School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Tuel Lane Infant School are Christ Church Sowerby Bridge CofE (VA) Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 79% reading, 82% maths); New Road Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 53% reading, 53% maths); Warley Town School (0.5 miles, Good, 80% reading, 75% maths); and Bolton Brow Primary Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 83% reading, 77% maths).
Christ Church Sowerby Bridge CofE (VA) Primary SchoolNew Road Primary SchoolWarley Town SchoolBolton Brow Primary Academy
What parents say
25 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Tuel Lane Infant School (as of September 2025): 72% would recommend the school, 92% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (92%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
16.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 8.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (88%) and Asian (6%).
In 2026, 10 pupils (14.7%) received SEN support and 5 (7.4%) 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.
Staffing
Tuel Lane Infant School had 4 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Sowerby Bridge Rail Station, about 550 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
21 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Tuel Lane School, 50 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Tuel Lane Infant School issued 2 suspensions, 2.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Tuel Lane Infant School creates a warm, nurturing environment where children feel safe and happy while receiving an ambitious education. The school excels at teaching reading through a strong phonics programme and promotes a love of books through carefully chosen stories shared at home and school. Your child will benefit from well-structured lessons, strong behaviour expectations, and excellent support for additional needs.
Key Strengths
- Strong phonics programme with well-structured teaching from Reception, supported by decodable books that build reading fluency and confidence
- Carefully sequenced curriculum that builds knowledge over time, with innovative strategies like weekly teacher discussions to check what pupils remember
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND, enabling them to achieve well across the curriculum
- Positive early years provision with warm, nurturing relationships and ambitious, well-structured curriculum
- Strong behaviour and respect throughout the school, including older pupils playing nicely with younger ones
Areas for Improvement
- Memory and retention strategies in some foundation subjects are not fully embedded, leading to gaps in pupils' knowledge - need to ensure consistent application across all subjects
- Pupil attendance is not frequent enough for some children, preventing them from accessing the curriculum consistently and developing their learning effectively
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school has created an open, positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Clubs and extra-curricular activities, fundraising for local food collection charity, online safety assemblies and themed weeks, visitors supporting understanding of healthy relationships
Tuel Lane Infant School is a nurturing school where pupils are safe and happy with high ambitions for their achievement. The school has improved from its previous 'Requires Improvement' rating and is now judged as Good across all areas.
At a Glance
16.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
25 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
22.3
Avg class size
18.0
Infant (KS1)
3
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Tuel Lane Infant School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Tuel Lane Infant School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Tuel Lane Infant School is in Calderdale; for families living there:
Apply to Calderdale for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Tuel Lane Infant School
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
45%
Available places
54 pupils
120 places
66 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Sowerby Bridge
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sowerby Bridge
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)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
10
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
22.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
68
Total Pupils
40
Boys
28
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
4
Teachers
18.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£44,895
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,756
Per pupil
£501k
Total funding
£21k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.8%
Overall absence
22.2%
Persistent absence
36
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Tuel Lane Infant School
What is Tuel Lane Infant School's Ofsted rating?
Tuel Lane Infant School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2023, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Tuel Lane Infant School?
No fixed boundary. When Tuel Lane Infant 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 Tuel Lane Infant School?
Tuel Lane Infant School was not full in 2025: it ran at 45% of its 120 places.
How big are the classes at Tuel Lane Infant School?
Classes at Tuel Lane Infant School average 22.3 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Tuel Lane Infant School?
Tuel Lane Infant School has around 68 pupils on roll. 16% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Tuel Lane Infant School?
6.8% of sessions were missed at Tuel Lane Infant School in 2024/25. 22.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Tuel Lane Infant School?
Apply through Calderdale's coordinated admissions process, naming Tuel Lane Infant 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.
Where is Tuel Lane Infant School?
Tuel Lane Infant School is at Clay Street, Tuel Lane, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX6 2ND.