Wood Bank School, Halifax
Wood Bank School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Halifax. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Wood Bank School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Wood Bank School are Brearley Hall School (0.6 miles, Good); Broadwood School (1.7 miles, selective); Compass Community School Willow Park (2 miles, Outstanding); and Ravenscliffe High School (3.6 miles, Outstanding).
Brearley Hall SchoolBroadwood SchoolCompass Community School Willow ParkRavenscliffe High School
Who goes there
54.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 15.5% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Wood Bank School has an education, health and care plan (142 of 142 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Wood Bank School has a SEN unit for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 70 places, 142 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Mytholmroyd Rail Station, about 1.6 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Dene View, 60 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 31 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Calderdale (102).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Wood Bank School issued 1 suspension, 0.7 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: 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 agoThis judgement is from February 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its February 2014 inspection - down from Outstanding.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
54.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: SpLD, Vision, Other +9
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Wood Bank School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Wood Bank School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Wood Bank 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
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 3 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
203%
Over capacity
142 pupils
70 places
72 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Halifax
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Halifax
Across Calderdale council
Places available
2,994
Applications
2,231
Got 1st preference
91.2%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All secondary applications across Calderdale council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
142
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Wood Bank School has a SEN unit for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 70 places, 142 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
142
Total Pupils
111
Boys
31
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
15
Teachers
9.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£56,354
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
12.4%
Overall absence
35.9%
Persistent absence
117
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Wood Bank School
Questions parents ask about Wood Bank School
What are SATs results like at Wood Bank School?
Of the pupils at Wood Bank School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Wood Bank School's Ofsted rating?
Wood Bank School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Wood Bank School?
No fixed boundary. When Wood Bank School is oversubscribed, Calderdale allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Wood Bank School?
Wood Bank School has around 142 pupils on roll. 55% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Wood Bank School have specialist SEN provision?
Wood Bank School has a SEN unit for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 70 places, 142 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Wood Bank School?
12.4% of sessions were missed at Wood Bank School in 2024/25. 35.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Wood Bank School?
Apply through Calderdale's coordinated admissions process, naming Wood Bank School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Wood Bank School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 3 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 Wood Bank School?
Wood Bank School is at Dene View, Luddenden, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX2 6PB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)