Holmfirth Junior Infant and Nursery School

Holmfirth Junior Infant and Nursery School is a warm, inclusive school where pupils feel safe, behave very well and benefit from a clear, ambitious curriculum. Inspectors found strong provision in early years, inclusion and personal development, with effective leadership, well-trained staff and supportive governance. Safeguarding standards are met, and parents value the school's nurturing ethos. There are areas to develop. Pupils' national test outcomes at the end of Year 6 are broadly average and do not yet fully reflect the strength of the curriculum and teaching now in place. Attendance has improved overall but remains variable for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and disadvantaged pupils' outcomes have been below national averages over the latest three-year period, although 2024/25 figures were closer to average. This was a full section 5 inspection of a school led by two co-headteachers, with no resourced SEND provision. Leaders should continue embedding the curriculum so that consistent teaching translates into above-average outcomes over time, and continue targeted work with families to reduce absence for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.

Strengths

• Clear, ambitious curriculum tailored to the school's context and local environment
• Systematic progression and tiered vocabulary from early years to Year 6
• Well-trained staff with secure subject knowledge and consistent teaching approaches
• Structured phonics with reading books matched to pupils' known sounds
• Highly inclusive teaching with effective adjustments for pupils facing barriers
• Strong early years provision with nurturing relationships and parent partnerships
• Well-planned early years curriculum and environment promoting curiosity and independence
• Strong inclusive culture with precise tracking and bespoke support plans
• Strategic use of additional funding to improve outcomes and enrichment access
• Rich personal development programme including outdoor learning and safety education
• Effective pastoral care and pupil-led support such as Talking Tiger leaders
• Pupils are polite, kind, respectful and behave very well
• Wide range of clubs, trips and enrichment tracked to ensure access
• Effective leadership and governance with clear priorities and staff support
• Governors fulfil statutory duties and provide both challenge and support
• Strong partnerships with parents and external professionals
• Safeguarding standards met with an open culture of safeguarding

Areas for Improvement

• National test outcomes at the end of Year 6 are broadly average and do not yet reflect curriculum and teaching quality
• Attendance remains variable for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities
• Disadvantaged pupils' outcomes have been below national averages over the latest three-year period
• Leaders need to continue embedding the curriculum and consistent teaching so outcomes become above average over time
• Leaders need to identify barriers to absence and consistently apply effective strategies for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND

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 Holmfirth Junior Infant and Nursery School attended 96.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.1% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Holmfirth Junior Infant and Nursery School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were 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 Holmfirth Junior Infant and Nursery School had 17.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 4.3% 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, 7.9% of pupils at Holmfirth Junior Infant and Nursery School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.0% 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 Holmfirth Junior Infant and Nursery School received £6,970 and spent £7,115 for each of its 191 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £19,000 (-£100 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).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Holmfirth · Kirklees local authority: places and applications

What is Holmfirth Junior Infant and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Holmfirth Junior Infant and Nursery School is Expected standard, from an inspection in October 2026.

When was Holmfirth Junior Infant and Nursery School last inspected by Ofsted?

Holmfirth Junior Infant and Nursery School was last inspected in October 2026.

How many pupils does Holmfirth Junior Infant and Nursery School have?

Holmfirth Junior Infant and Nursery School has 191 pupils on roll.

What age range does Holmfirth Junior Infant and Nursery School cover?

Holmfirth Junior Infant and Nursery School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 58% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Holmfirth Junior Infant and Nursery School?

Holmfirth Junior Infant and Nursery School is at Cartworth Road, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, HD9 2RG.