Wainstalls School, Halifax
Wainstalls School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Halifax, part of Pennine Alliance Learning Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 4th-highest of the 42 schools in Halifax with published results, and 941st of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than 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 27 Oct 2026
Wainstalls School in detail
Wainstalls School in its own words
In its own words: "The Trust is a company limited by guarantee and an exempt charity. The charitable company's memorandum and articles of association are the primary governing documents of the Trust."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Wainstalls School is delighted to be able to offer an out of school Kids Club that is an extension of our wonderful school. We provide a fun, happy and safe environment for children before and after school."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 91% of Year 6 pupils at Wainstalls School reached the expected standard in reading and 94% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 75% in Calderdale and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 84% in reading and 77% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Wainstalls School
For September 2026 entry, 26 families put Wainstalls School as their first choice and 53 named it as one of their preferences, for 26 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Wainstalls School are Ash Green Community Primary School (1 mile, Good, 67% reading, 69% maths); Abbey Park Academy (1.4 miles, Good, 89% reading, 85% maths); Midgley School (1.6 miles); and St Malachy's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy (1.6 miles, Requires improvement, 68% reading, 58% maths).
Wainstalls School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Ash Green Community Primary SchoolAbbey Park AcademyMidgley SchoolSt Malachy's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
The trust
Wainstalls School is one of 5 schools run by Pennine Alliance Learning Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
77 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Wainstalls School (as of September 2025): 86% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 67% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (67%).
Who goes there
11.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (86%) and Mixed (6%).
In 2026, 49 pupils (25.8%) received SEN support and 6 (3.2%) 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 Mytholmroyd Rail Station, about 2.6 miles away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Wainstalls School (at), 20 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 32 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and vehicle crime. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Calderdale (102).
Suspensions and exclusions
Wainstalls School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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
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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from May 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school has improved significantly.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils share immense pride in Wainstalls School. They are helped to build highly respectful relationships with their peers and staff. Staff care for pupils. Pupils feel safe. This is testament to the exceptional support that they receive. The school is proud of its place in the local community and pupils are too.
The school has exceptionally high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils achieve highly in external assessments. They rise to the high expectations that the school sets for their behaviour with enthusiasm. Pupils support one another to maintain excellent attitudes to learning. Pupils show empathy for their peers. They flourish in a calm and happy learning environment.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school helps pupils to become confident readers. From a young age, pupils use their reading skills well. They read with focused expression. They re-read sentences to make them 'more creative'. The school identifies pupils who need extra support and puts prompt support in place. This helps pupils to gain highly effective reading skills. Well-chosen classroom texts help pupils develop an understanding of the wider world. Year 3 pupils read texts that explore important issues such as the difficulties that refugees may face. Such breadth of texts helps pupils to develop deep empathy and compassion for what others may go through.
The well-sequenced curriculum supports pupils in learning more challenging concepts over time. For example, children in early years learn about different types of lines when drawing a self-portrait. Pupils in Year 3 learn about cross-hatching and stippling in their art lessons. Over time, pupils are able to put these skills together to create more complex artwork. These approaches prepare pupils exceptionally well for their next steps.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its May 2015 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
11.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
77 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 improved from 84% to 91% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 77% to 94% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 81% to 94% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.1
Avg class size
23.7
Infant (KS1)
29.8
KS2
7
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Wainstalls School
Newsletter - 2nd October 2026
2 Oct 2026
Newsletter - 25th September 2026
25 Sep 2026
Newsletter - 18th September 2026
18 Sep 2026
Newsletter - 11th September 2026
11 Sep 2026
Newsletter - 4th September 2026
4 Sep 2026
From Wainstalls School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Wainstalls School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Wainstalls School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Wainstalls 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)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 Wainstalls School
Will you get a place at Wainstalls School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Wainstalls School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Wainstalls School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Wainstalls School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Calderdale, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Wainstalls 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
99%
Near capacity
208 pupils
210 places
2 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(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
49
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
28.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
190
Total Pupils
98
Boys
92
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
21.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,284
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,039
Per pupil
£1160k
Total funding
£32k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.4%
Overall absence
4.3%
Persistent absence
188
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Wainstalls School
What are SATs results like at Wainstalls School?
Of the pupils at Wainstalls School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 91% reached the expected standard in reading and 94% did so in maths.
What is Wainstalls School's Ofsted rating?
Wainstalls School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Wainstalls School?
No fixed boundary. When Wainstalls 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 Wainstalls School?
Wainstalls School was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Wainstalls School?
Classes at Wainstalls School average 27.1 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Wainstalls School?
Wainstalls School has around 190 pupils on roll. 11% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Wainstalls School?
3.4% of sessions were missed at Wainstalls School in 2024/25. 4.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Wainstalls School?
Apply through Calderdale's coordinated admissions process, naming Wainstalls 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 Wainstalls School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Wainstalls School?
Wainstalls School is at Wainstalls, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX2 7TE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)