A council (local authority) in Yorkshire and the Humber
Council
187 schools and nurseries
34,810 pupils
8 towns and villages
In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are close to England, and results at 16 were above England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.
Schools and nurseries18781 primary · 11 secondary · 74 nurseries
Primaries Good or better99%England 96%
Met the standard at 1162%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths52%Attainment 8 49.0, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary29%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school17%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Calderdale
Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.
Apply through the council where you live, even for a school in another council's area. Independent schools take applications directly.
About Calderdale
Calderdale is a metropolitan borough in Yorkshire and the Humber with 81 mainstream primary schools and 11 mainstream secondary schools. Towns with the most schools include Halifax, Brighouse and Elland. It has 2 grammar schools, which choose pupils by a test. Pupil numbers have fallen 4% since 2018.
Good to know in Calderdale
On the low-income route to help with school transport, Calderdale asks whether the school is between 2 and 6 miles from home. Source
On the low-income route to help with school transport, Calderdale also asks whether the school is one of the 3 nearest schools to your home. Source
For help with transport to a school based on religion or belief, it must be the nearest school of that faith or belief. Source
Calderdale has a school search covering school details and admission figures for primary and secondary schools. Source
Children with an Education Health and Care plan should contact the transport team for details and an application form for school transport. Source
From Calderdale council's website, checked 7 November 2026. Check the council's pages before you apply.
If a date falls on a weekend or bank holiday, offers go out the next working day.
96.6%got their first-choice primary school in Calderdale in 2026. England: 92.4%. Ranked 15 of 151 councils. 99.4% got one of their top three.1.0% were offered a primary school in another council. England: 3.6%.
91.2%got their first-choice secondary school in Calderdale in 2026. England: 83.6%. Ranked 36 of 151 councils. 98.7% got one of their top three.2.6% were offered a secondary school in another council. England: 8.0%.
Source: DfE applications and offers, 2026. A low rate shows high demand, not poor schools.
3 of 19 primary appeals heard in Calderdale succeeded in 2025. 2 of 38 secondary appeals heard in Calderdale succeeded in 2025.
For schools that follow the council's dates. Academies, faith and foundation schools can set their own, and schools add training days. Source, checked 6 November 2026.
Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.
Numbers that sum up Calderdale
CalderdaleEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 66 primaries with one.
99%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
9 of the 9 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
62%
England 62%
Close to England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
52%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
17%
England 18%
Better than England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
29%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 85 schools that have one.
99%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding11
Good73
Requires improvement1
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Calderdale in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1162% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths52% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school17% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
The figures in full
The latest published year for each measure. Sources and years are on our data sources page.
Measure
Calderdale
England
Good or Outstanding (Ofsted)
99%
95%
Met the expected standard at 11 (KS2)
62%
62%
Attainment 8
49.0
46.2
Persistent absence
17%
18%
Pupils per teacher
18.6:1
17.9:1
Spending per pupil
£7,990
£8,120
In education or work after 16
91%
91%
Went on to higher education
57%
56%
Pupils with special educational needs
21%
21%
Pupils with English as an additional language
15%
22%
Pupils on free school meals
28%
27%
DfE local authority code 381, ONS code E08000033.
Living here
What it's like for families
Calderdale has 187 schools and nurseries across 8 towns and villages, the biggest being Halifax, Brighouse, Elland and Shelf and Northowram.
There are 4% fewer pupils than in 2018.
29% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Calderdale's state schools each January.
36.3k2018
36.5k2019
36.7k2021
36.6k2022
36.5k2023
35.9k2024
35.3k2025
34.8k2026
Down 4% since 2018.
Free school meals
Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.
Calderdale29%
Keep up with schools in Calderdale
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Calderdale has 187 schools, including 95 primary schools, 26 secondary schools, 74 nurseries, 12 independent schools, 13 special schools. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.
What are the best schools in Calderdale?+
The highest-ranked schools in Calderdale on Eduscope are The Greetland Academy, Luddendenfoot Academy, All Saints' CofE Primary School. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.
What percentage of schools in Calderdale are rated Good or Outstanding?+
99% of inspected schools in Calderdale hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 11 schools rated Outstanding and 73 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Calderdale perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Calderdale, 62% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.
What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Calderdale?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Calderdale is 18.6:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.
What is the persistent absence rate in Calderdale schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Calderdale is 17.0%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.
How many pupils attend schools in Calderdale?+
There are 34,810 pupils enrolled across schools in Calderdale, with 17,530 in primary and 16,368 in secondary. 28.0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Calderdale?+
There are 12 independent schools in Calderdale. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare all private schools in Calderdale on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Calderdale?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 187 schools in Calderdale by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.
Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.
