The North Halifax Grammar School

Halifax, HX2 9SU · Calderdale · Grammar school

Ofsted: Good · 2023 ★ Selective Mixed Secondary
OfstedGood
Pupils1199
FSM5.5%
Progress 8+0.18
A-level avgB
Test boardConsortium: N/A
AI summary of the Ofsted report Inspected 2023-12-18 · Tap to collapse

Generated by AI from the official inspection report — not written by Ofsted or SchoolsGPT staff. Always read the full Ofsted PDF before relying on this summary.

Overview: The North Halifax Grammar School is an ambitious and caring school that provides high levels of academic and pastoral support, promoting a positive culture and relationships between pupils and staff. The school has an exceptional sixth form, with students rising to high academic standards.

Strengths:

  • The school has designed an ambitious curriculum that is sequenced logically to build secure knowledge over time.
  • The curriculum is delivered well, with teachers having a strong understanding of their subjects and adapting the curriculum to meet pupils' needs.
  • The school promotes the wider development of pupils through a programme called 'The Ambit', offering a range of opportunities that develop pupils' interests and talents.
  • Pupils behave well in lessons and around school, with low-level disruption in lessons being rare.
  • The school promotes reading for pleasure through the 'NHGS 99' list of recommended reads and celebrates 'World Book Day'.

Areas to improve:

  • Sometimes, lessons are not adapted sufficiently to promote higher levels of academic challenge and support for all pupils, including those with SEND.
  • The PSHE programme requires further development to raise the profile of tolerance, inclusion, equity, and justice.

Safeguarding: The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Ofsted judgement breakdown (2023-11-08)

Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Effectiveness of leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding is effective?
Yes
Sixth form provision (where applicable)
Outstanding

Oversubscription criteria

  1. Looked after — Looked After, Previously Looked After, or Special Guardianship children
  2. Pupil premium service — Pupil Premium and Service Premium children
  3. Priority admissions area — Up to 10% of places (of PAN 180): children in NHGS's own Priority Admissions Area
  4. Score rank — Remaining places by combined order of merit (English + Maths), until PAN is reached

What the entrance test covers

One joint FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise) test for both Calderdale grammar schools (The Crossley Heath School and The North Halifax Grammar School): - English and mathematics papers, age-standardised. - A creative-writing element, assessed for candidates who meet the required standard in English and maths — candidates must meet the qualifying standard in English, maths AND creative writing to be considered. Register once (historically late March to late June of Year 5); the test is sat in mid-September of Year 6 with results by mid-October, before the 31 October application deadline. One sitting serves both schools.

University destinations

Oxbridge
2%
Russell Group
32%
Top-third university
39%
Any degree
76%

Of the 165-student 2019/20 leaver cohort, sustaining a higher-education destination the following year. This is the last cohort the Department for Education published with an Oxbridge/Russell Group breakdown — these categories were discontinued as official accountability measures after this release, so a more recent figure does not exist.

House prices nearby

Median price, Illingworth and Mixenden ward (Year ending Mar 2023)
£145,000

Median price for the school's electoral ward, year ending March 2023 — a neighbourhood-level indicator, not the school's actual admissions catchment (catchments are often smaller than a ward or span parts of several).

Similar schools nearby

Same area, prioritising the same phase — useful for shortlisting alternatives.

Data sourced from GIAS, Ofsted and official Calderdale admissions publications. Figures can change year to year — always confirm with the school before applying.

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