School Chooser

Withinfields Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedCouncil338 pupilsNurseryHalifaxCalderdale
School Chooser Score
40
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 24 to 59
Out of 100. Better than 49% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedAs expected teachingOfsted report card, December 2025
Reached the expected level at 1159%England 63%
Attendance94.1%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families29%About the same as most schools in England
Parents would recommend96%91 Parent View responses
Places82 spare338 pupils, 420 places

Withinfields Primary School is a council school in Halifax for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 338 pupils and room for 420. About 29 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, about the same as most schools in England. We give it 40 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 49% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in December 2025 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Withinfields, Southowram, Halifax, HX3 9QJ01422 363581withinfields.calderdale.sch.ukMrs Helen York headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 9 December 2025. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.

TeachingOfsted calls this “curriculum and teaching”
As expected
Achievement
As expected
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
As expected
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
Strong
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
As expected
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
As expected
Early years
As expected
SafeguardingAre pupils kept safe?
Pupils are kept safe
Met
Ofsted's scale:ExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
5 October 2021Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1Good

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

44 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1159%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score104.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score104.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 47%47%20172018: 42%42%20182019: 50%50%20192023: 69%69%20232024: 70%70%20242025: 59%59%2025
Since 2017: +12%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017CalderdaleEngland
Pupils tested444658484545
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths59%70%69%50%42%47%62%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%7%3%4%0%0%6%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score104.0109.0106.0102.0100.0101.0105.1105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0105.0105.0102.0100.098.0104.3104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score103.0109.0109.0105.0103.0103.0104.3105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard75%85%81%65%53%58%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard75%78%86%69%56%58%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)66%83%79%73%71%56%
Reading progressReading progress score+1.6-0.6-2.3-3.3
Maths progressMaths progress score+1.6-0.8-1.1-5.1
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged47%55%77%31%35%23%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged67%74%67%57%48%56%

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.

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. 2 of the 3 gaps are 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

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
47%67%
Gap 20 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
54%65%
Gap 11 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%0%
No gapEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

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.

Plenty of spare places313 pupils for 382 places, 2024/25
82% full

69 places were empty (18% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place (51 offers for 60 places).

EntryPlacesPut it firstGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary605151all offeredLA
2025 Primary603333all offeredLA
2024 Primary604039all offeredLA
2023 Primary603636all offeredLA
2022 Primary603636all offeredLA
2021 Primary603838all offeredLA
2020 Primary604141all offeredLA
2019 Primary603131all offeredLA

The distances are the council's own, usually measured in a straight line from home to the school gate. If the distance is getting shorter each year, the school is getting harder to get into. See which councils we have this data for.

What parents say

Would recommend the school96%England 87%
My child is happy here92%agree or strongly agree
My child feels safe95%
Positive overall93%
My child is happy at this school
92%England 89%
My child feels safe at this school
95%England 90%
Pupils are well behavedThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved
92%England 83%
Has your child been bullied here?Parents answering yes
17% yesEngland 18%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOnly parents whose child was bullied
60%England 50%
My child gets the right support to learn well
92%England 85%
Does your child have SEND?Parents answering yes
31% yesEngland 26%
The school gives them the support they needOnly parents of children with SEND
82%England 71%
The school communicates well with me
90%England 80%
My concerns have been dealt with properlyWhen I have raised concerns
71%England 69%
Decisions put the child's best interests first
91%England 82%
I would recommend this school
96%England 87%
Overall view of the school is positive
93%England 82%
Strongly agreeAgreeDon't knowDisagreeStrongly disagreeEngland, agree or yes

From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 91 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 primary 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.

Pupils on roll338Census January 2026
Places42080% full
Pupils from low-income families28%29% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English1%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support18%62 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan9%29 pupils with a plan
Average class size25.211 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils9%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)28%£128,650 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls169 / 169
White British pupils93%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 26.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 22.9 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (21), language and communications needs (18), emotional and mental health (16), Moderate learning difficulty (13), Specific learning difficulty (12), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (3).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll338345331346344367
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals28%28%26%23%22%22%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language1%1%1%2%1%1%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support20%20%20%15%14%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans8%5%3%2%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.1% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance94.1%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school13.8%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils4.12024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.7%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence5.9%5.9%5.7%5.3%3.7%4.0%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.2%4.2%4.2%4.1%2.9%3.0%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.7%1.6%1.6%1.2%0.8%1.0%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence13.8%16.3%17.3%11.4%7.9%8.6%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate4.11.80.61.70.8
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers19.4full-time equivalent, 22 people
Pupils per teacher17.0Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants29.7full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£49,754
Teachers who left in the year6%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher11.12024/25

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£7,472England £7,738. Total £2.5m
Income per pupil£7,387England £7,697. Total £2.5m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,300England £3,480
Money in reserve4%Not much put by: £107k, £320 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£28kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£7,472spent per pupil

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

Crimes within 500 m9812 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate104 per 1,000 people14% higher than the England average
Typical house price£187,500Calderdale
Nearest bus stop100 mLaw Lane Whitley Ln, 13 stops within 500 m

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 primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Siddal Primary SchoolAcademy0.9 miles169Good 202315Compare
Salterhebble Junior and Infant SchoolCouncil1.0 miles204Good 202262Compare
Trinity Academy St Chad'sAcademy1.4 miles121Good 202376Compare
All Saints' CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England1.4 miles208Outstanding 202391Compare
St Joseph's Catholic Primary AcademyAcademy1.4 miles137No overall grade 202477Compare
Holy Trinity Primary School, A Church of England AcademyAcademy1.5 miles330Report card 202631Compare
St Joseph's Catholic Primary Academy, BrighouseAcademy1.5 miles196Good 202454Compare
St Mary's Catholic Primary AcademyAcademy1.6 miles272No overall grade 202563Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Withinfields Primary School with the 49 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 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats49%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 40 is about the same as the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 41 · highest 80100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 49 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Withinfields Primary School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Bywell Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior SchoolChurch of England9.2 miles384Good 202467Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 40 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 40% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 24 to 59. 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 atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%in line
-0.03
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 44 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%below
-0.07
Ofsted report card, 0.8 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
+0.05
DfE progress measure; 44 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well below
-0.10
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
-0.03
2024/25; 269 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
+0.02
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 44 pupils
What parents say5%above
+0.04
Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 91 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 Withinfields Primary School a good school?

It is about average. Withinfields Primary School scores 40 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 49% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 24 to 59, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Withinfields Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 9 December 2025 it rated teaching as as expected, achievement as as expected, behaviour and attendance as as expected, leadership as as expected.

How good are Withinfields Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 59% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Withinfields Primary School have?

338 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 420 places, so it is 80% full.

Is Withinfields Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 69 places were empty in 2024/25 (18% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Withinfields Primary School?

Pupils were in school 94.1% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 14% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

What do parents say about Withinfields Primary School?

96% of the 91 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 92% say their child is happy there. Across England, 87% of parents would recommend their child's school.

How big are the classes at Withinfields Primary School?

The average class had 25.2 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 9% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Withinfields, Southowram, Halifax, HX3 9QJ
Telephone
01422 363581
Website
www.withinfields.calderdale.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Helen York
Type of school
Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Calderdale
Ward
Town
Constituency
Halifax
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
107502 · LAESTAB 3812046 · UKPRN 10075641

Where these figures come from