Shelf Junior and Infant School

Shelf Junior and Infant School has shown considerable improvement since its last inspection, moving from a status of requiring improvement to being rated as good across all areas of evaluation. The new headteacher has implemented effective changes that have boosted staff morale and established high expectations for student success. The supportive atmosphere fosters positive relationships among staff and pupils, contributing to a happy school environment where students feel safe and are engaged in their learning. Noteworthy strengths include the effective phonics program and the strong support for children in the early years, enabling them to develop well before entering Year 1.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy and feel safe in school.
• Strong relationships between staff and pupils promote a caring atmosphere.
• The headteacher has inspired staff and governors with high ambitions.
• Curriculum changes are giving pupils better direction in their learning.
• Effective phonics program helps most pupils become fluent readers.
• The early years provision prepares children well for Year 1.
• Pupils with SEND receive good support, resulting in high attendance.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum implementation varies across all subjects, affecting some learning outcomes.
• Insufficient monitoring of reading choices limits pupils' exposure to diverse genres.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Shelf Junior and Infant School attended 95.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.4% of pupils at Shelf Junior and Infant School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Shelf Junior and Infant School had 21.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 19.9% of pupils at Shelf Junior and Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Shelf Junior and Infant School received £6,427 and spent £6,684 for each of its 221 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £46,000 (£210 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

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• Secondary Schools

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What is Shelf Junior and Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Shelf Junior and Infant School is Good, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was Shelf Junior and Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

Shelf Junior and Infant School was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does Shelf Junior and Infant School have?

Shelf Junior and Infant School has 221 pupils on roll.

What age range does Shelf Junior and Infant School cover?

Shelf Junior and Infant School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Shelf Junior and Infant School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 48% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Shelf Junior and Infant School?

Shelf Junior and Infant School is at Shelf Hall Lane, Shelf, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX3 7LT.