Kirkburton Middle School
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Kirkburton Middle School is a converter academy in Huddersfield for boys and girls aged 10 to 13. It has 495 pupils and room for 501. About 14 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 69 out of 100. That puts it above schools like it, ahead of 61% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in February 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.
Turnshaws Avenue, Kirkburton, Huddersfield, HD8 0TJ01484 222737kirkburtonmiddleschool.co.ukMr Chris Taylor headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted visited on 10 February 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.
Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.
Earlier inspections (1)
| Date | Type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 16 November 2021 | Schools with Serious Weaknesses Visit 1 | Good |
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
163 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017† | Kirklees | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 163 | 160 | 169 | 175 | 167 | 167 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 62% | 56% | 65% | 66% | 53% | 62% | 61% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 2% | 4% | 8% | 7% | 8% | 2% | 6% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 106.0 | 105.0 | 107.0 | 105.0 | 104.0 | 105.0 | 105.2 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 105.0 | 102.0 | 103.0 | 104.0 | 102.0 | 103.0 | 104.5 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 105.0 | 104.0 | 105.0 | 106.0 | 104.0 | 105.0 | 104.8 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 73% | 74% | 82% | 76% | 71% | 75% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 71% | 66% | 70% | 79% | 60% | 69% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 73% | 73% | 86% | 85% | 86% | 79% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +0.5 | -1.2 | -2.8 | -1.2 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | -1.8 | -1.7 | -4.0 | -3.3 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 19% | 22% | 33% | 43% | 26% | 45% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 68% | 61% | 69% | 69% | 58% | 66% | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
† These results are for Kirkburton Middle School, the school this one replaced in December 2016. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Does every child do well here?
A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 1 of the 3 gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.
At the end of primary school, 2025
Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.
Getting a place
Admissions policy not published.
Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.
Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Kirklees council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
What parents say
From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 112 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for secondary schools with enough answers to publish.
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (34), Moderate learning difficulty (29), Specific learning difficulty (18), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (12), language and communications needs (10), Autistic spectrum disorder (9).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 495 | 502 | 502 | 496 | 498 | 511 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 14% | 14% | 15% | 13% | 14% | 13% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 17% | 13% | 10% | 8% | 7% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 3% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.3% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 4.7% | 6.0% | 6.3% | 6.5% | 3.7% | 4.0% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 3.7% | 4.8% | 5.1% | 5.7% | 2.9% | 3.5% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 1.0% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.5% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 8.5% | 13.0% | 15.5% | 16.9% | 7.9% | 5.7% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 7.0 | 2.2 | 6.7 | 4.2 | 4.5 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | – | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kirkburton CofE (VA) First School | Church of England | 450 m | 117 | Report card 2026 | 37 | Compare |
| Highburton CofE First Academy | Academy | 850 m | 161 | Report card 2026 | 93 | Compare |
| Shelley First School | Academy | 1.2 miles | 159 | Good 2023 | 67 | Compare |
| Rowley Lane Junior Infant and Nursery School | Council | 1.3 miles | 422 | Not inspected | 74 | Compare |
| Lepton CofE Primary Academy | Academy | 1.6 miles | 167 | Good 2023 | 75 | Compare |
| Shelley College, A Share Academy | Academy | 2.0 miles | 1,274 | No overall grade 2024 | 90 | Compare |
| King James's School | Academy | 2.1 miles | 1,055 | Good 2019 | 61 | Compare |
| Shepley First School | Council | 2.2 miles | 168 | Good 2024 | 71 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Kirkburton Middle School with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 69 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 69% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 50 to 80. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 0% | no data | – | |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | in line | -0.03 | Ofsted report card, 0.6 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 0% | no data | – | |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | in line | +0.00 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | well above | +0.31 | 2024/25; 505 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 0% | no data | – | |
| What pupils do next | 0% | no data | – | |
| What parents say | 5% | in line | +0.01 | Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 112 responses |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is Kirkburton Middle School a good school?
Yes, going by the figures. Kirkburton Middle School scores 69 out of 100. That is above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 61% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 50 to 80, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is Kirkburton Middle School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 10 February 2026 it rated teaching as as expected, achievement as as expected, behaviour and attendance as strong, leadership as as expected.
How good are Kirkburton Middle School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 62% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 2% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does Kirkburton Middle School have?
495 pupils aged 10 to 13 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 501 places, so it is 99% full.
Is Kirkburton Middle School oversubscribed?
Often. Fewer than one place in twenty was empty in 2024/25, so popular year groups fill up.
What is attendance like at Kirkburton Middle School?
Pupils were in school 95.3% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 9% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
What do parents say about Kirkburton Middle School?
80% of the 112 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 79% say their child is happy there. Across England, 77% of parents would recommend their child's school.
How big are the classes at Kirkburton Middle School?
The average class had 25.9 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 17% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
Does Kirkburton Middle School have a sixth form?
No. Pupils leave after Year 11 for a sixth form elsewhere, a college or an apprenticeship.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Turnshaws Avenue, Kirkburton, Huddersfield, HD8 0TJ
- Telephone
- 01484 222737
- Website
- www.kirkburtonmiddleschool.co.uk
- Headteacher
- Mr Chris Taylor
- Type of school
- Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
- Phase
- Middle school, ages 10-13
- Gender
- Mixed
- Multi-academy trust
- The Mast Academy Trust (6 schools)
- Local authority
- Kirklees
- Ward
- Kirkburton
- Constituency
- Ossett and Denby Dale
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 December 2016 (academy converter)
- URN
- 143791 · LAESTAB 3824054 · UKPRN 10061810
- Formerly
- Kirkburton Middle School
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.