Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School
Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School is a voluntary controlled school in Huddersfield for pupils aged 3 to 7. It has a Church of England religious character. It has 189 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School is Good, from an inspection in September 2023. It has more teachers for its size than most primary schools: 12.9 pupils for each teacher in 2025/26, against 20.7 nationally. Attendance is a concern: pupils missed 9.6% of sessions in 2024/25 (the national figure for primary schools is 5.2%), and 22% of pupils were persistently absent.
Ofsted inspection: September 2023.
| Type | Primary / Voluntary controlled school |
| Age Range | 3-7 |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | Rawthorpe Lane Rawthorpe Huddersfield West Yorkshire HD5 9NT |
| Reference Number | 107700 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 189 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 52.38%
Girls: 47.62% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 44.8% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 37.6% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 24.6 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 24.3 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 36 | 26 | 62 |
| 2 | 27 | 24 | 51 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 35.4% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 12.2% |
| Asian, Other | 12.2% |
| African | 11.6% |
| Pakistani | 5.8% |
| White & Asian | 3.2% |
| White, Other | 2.1% |
| Indian | 2.1% |
| Mixed, Other | 2.1% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.6% |
| Caribbean | 1.6% |
| Irish | 0.5% |
Netherhall St James C of E (VC) Infant and Nursery School is performing well overall, achieving a 'Good' rating across all areas except for early years provision, which is deemed outstanding. Leaders have cultivated an inclusive environment that fosters individual growth, with strong relationships between staff and pupils contributing to a safe and respectful school culture. Parents appreciate the accessibility of communication with teachers, reflecting a supportive community.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| > Quality of education | Good |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Good |
| > Personal Development | Good |
| > Leadership & Management | Good |
| > Early Years Provision | Outstanding |
| Last Report Date | 20 Jun 2023 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 20 Jun 2023 | School inspection: |
| 04 Mar 2020 | School inspection |
| 12 Jul 2016 | Short inspection |
| 07 Apr 2011 | Full inspection: |
| 14 May 2008 | Full inspection: |
| 08 Mar 2004 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Inclusive culture that supports individual development
- Strong relationships between staff and pupils
- High expectations for pupil behaviour
- Outstanding early years provision
- Strong curriculum support for reading and vocabulary development
- Effective support for pupils with SEND
Areas for Improvement
- Lack of clarity in some subjects such as history and computing
- Teachers unsure about specific knowledge required to build pupil understanding
Reception admissions, 2026 entry
Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment
| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Second Preference | 16 | 0 |
| Third Preference | 18 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 0 | 0 |
Previous years
Sample
UnlockPlaces and pupil numbers
In 2024–25 Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School had 167 pupils for 246 places. 79 places (32.1%) were unfilled.
Pupils and places
Reception intake in the “Huddersfield South East Primary” planning area
Kirklees counted 280 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 205 in 2029–30, down 27%.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Places | 243 | 243 | 243 | 246 | 246 | 246 | 246 | 246 | 246 | 246 | 246 | 246 | 246 | 246 | 246 |
| Pupils | 138 | 169 | 171 | 172 | 167 | 196 | 230 | 245 | 256 | 235 | 175 | 190 | 194 | 190 | 167 |
| Unfilled | 43.2% | 30.5% | 29.6% | 30.1% | 32.1% | 20.3% | 6.5% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 4.5% | 28.9% | 22.8% | 21.1% | 22.8% | 32.1% |
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 Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School attended 90.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 21.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 4.8% | 4.5% | 4.2% | 3.4% | 3.2% | 3.6% | 3.7% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.7% | 6.5% |
| Unauthorised absence | 1.1% | 1.6% | 2.1% | 1.7% | 1.5% | 2.3% | 1.9% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 3.1% |
| Severely absent pupils | 1.7% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 3.3% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1.4% | 1.3% | 3.6% |
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, 2.1% of pupils at Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 5.1 | 1.4 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 3.7 | 5.0 | 5.7 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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 Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School had 12.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 7.7 | 7.6 | 9.6 | 9.5 | 11.7 | 10.3 | 10.6 | 10.3 | 9.4 | 9.1 | 8.7 | 10.2 | 9.1 | 8.2 | 7.3 | 5.8 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 8.4% | 4.1% | 5.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 18.5% | 0.0% | 6.1% | 12.0% | 0.0% | 18.3% | 0.0% | 14.5% | 0.0% | 8.6% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 40.0% | 40.0% | 46.2% | 50.0% | 71.4% | 57.1% | 50.0% | 66.7% | 76.5% | – | 0.0% | 57.1% | 64.3% | 84.6% | 71.4% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 1.7 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 9.5 | 10.2 | 5.2 | 1.8 | 9.5 | – | 0.0 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 6.8 | 5.1 | – |
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, 39.7% of pupils at Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 11.6% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).
The school has resourced provision with 14 pupils.
Pupils by main type of need
| SEN support | EHC plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Speech, language and communication needs | 31 | 9 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 27 | 0 |
| No specialist assessment of need | 9 | 0 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 8 | 0 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 0 | 6 |
| Profound and multiple learning difficulty | 0 | 4 |
| Severe learning difficulty | 0 | 2 |
| Physical disability | 0 | 1 |
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 Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School received £11,236 and spent £11,537 for each of its 176 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £129,000 (£733 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £150,000 | £151,000 | £136,000 | £69,000 | £84,000 | £151,000 | £182,000 | £129,000 |
| per pupil | £572 | £669 | £711 | £345 | £412 | £733 | £1,005 | £733 |
| In-year balance | £28,000 | £1,000 | -£15,000 | -£67,000 | £15,000 | £67,000 | £31,000 | -£53,000 |
| per pupil | £106 | £2 | -£78 | -£334 | £72 | £326 | £173 | -£301 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).
| Name | Distance |
|
Netherhall Learning Campus Junior School
Rawthorpe Lane, Rawthorpe, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD5 9NT |
0.19 miles |
|
St Joseph's Catholic Primary Academy
Grosvenor Road, Dalton, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD5 9HU |
0.61 miles |
|
Moldgreen Community Primary School
The Avenue, Moldgreen, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD5 8AE |
0.68 miles |
|
Dalton School
Mayfield Avenue, Dalton, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD5 9HN |
0.69 miles |
|
Hill View Academy
Fernside Avenue, Almondbury, Huddersfield, HD5 8YE |
1.1 miles |
|
Birkby Junior School
Mead Street, Fartown, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD1 6HE |
1.11 miles |
|
Christ Church CE Academy
Deighton Road, Deighton, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD2 1JP |
1.25 miles |
|
Lowerhouses CofE Primary School
Lowerhouses Lane, Almondbury, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD5 8JY |
1.29 miles |
|
Kirkheaton Primary School
New Road, Kirkheaton, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD5 0HR |
1.3 miles |
|
Ashbrow School
Ash Meadow Close, Sheepridge, Ashbrow School, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD2 1EX |
1.33 miles |
|
Brambles Primary Academy
Cambridge Road, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD1 5BU |
1.37 miles |
|
Birkby Infant and Nursery School
Blacker Road, Birkby, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD1 5HQ |
1.4 miles |
|
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary Academy
Bradley Boulevard, Sheepridge, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD2 1EA |
1.41 miles |
|
Spring Grove Junior Infant and Nursery School
Bow Street, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD1 4BJ |
1.51 miles |
|
All Hallows' CofE (VA) Primary School
Longcroft, Almondbury, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD5 8XW |
1.6 miles |
|
Fixby Junior and Infant School
Lightridge Road, Fixby, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD2 2HB |
1.74 miles |
|
St Thomas CE Primary School
Sherwood Avenue, Bradley, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD2 1RQ |
1.78 miles |
|
St Patrick's Catholic Primary Academy
George Avenue, Birkby, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD2 2BJ |
1.79 miles |
|
Hillside Primary School
Headfield Road, Newsome, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD4 6LU |
1.79 miles |
|
The Mount School
3 Binham Road, Edgerton, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD2 2AP |
1.93 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Netherhall Learning Campus High School
Nether Hall Avenue, Huddersfield, HD5 9PG |
0.12 miles |
|
North Huddersfield Trust School
Woodhouse Hall Road, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD2 1DJ |
0.95 miles |
|
Woodley School and College
Off Dog Kennel Bank, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD5 8JE |
1.13 miles |
|
Fields Rise School
Fields Rise, Kirkeaton, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD5 0LZ |
1.35 miles |
|
Southgate School
Southfield Road, Almondbury, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD5 8TG |
1.37 miles |
|
ES Independent School Kirklees
20 Greenhead Road, Huddersfield, HD1 4EN |
1.38 miles |
|
Kirklees College
Manchester Road, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD1 3LD |
1.41 miles |
|
Greenhead College
Greenhead Road, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD1 4ES |
1.51 miles |
|
All Saints Catholic College
Bradley Bar, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD2 2JT |
1.77 miles |
|
King James's School
St Helen's Gate, Almondbury, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD4 6SG |
1.8 miles |
|
Pivot Academy
Technology House, Alexandra Court, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD2 1GN |
1.83 miles |
|
Barraclough Hall School
Barraclough, 1 Bryan Road, Edgerton, Huddersfield, HD2 2AL |
1.98 miles |
|
Castle Hill School
Newsome Road South, Newsome, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD4 6JL |
2.25 miles |
|
Huddersfield Grammar School
Royds Mount, Luck Lane, Marsh, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD1 4QX |
2.3 miles |
|
Newsome Academy
Castle Avenue, Newsome, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD4 6JN |
2.33 miles |
|
Royds Hall, A Share Academy
Luck Lane, Paddock, Huddersfield, HD3 4HA |
2.49 miles |
|
Moor End Academy
Dryclough Road, Crosland Moor, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD4 5JA |
2.75 miles |
|
Fable House
Building 29, Brooke's Mill, Armitage Bridge, Huddersfield, HD4 7NR |
2.97 miles |
|
Salendine Nook High School
New Hey Road, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD3 4GN |
3.2 miles |
|
The Mirfield Free Grammar
Kitson Hill Road, Mirfield, West Yorkshire, WF14 9EZ |
3.24 miles |
All schools in Huddersfield · Kirklees local authority: places and applications
What is Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School is Good, from an inspection in September 2023.
When was Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School last inspected by Ofsted?
Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School was last inspected in September 2023.
How many pupils does Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School have?
Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School has 189 pupils on roll.
What age range does Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School cover?
Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School for pupils aged 3 to 7.
Where is Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School?
Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School is at Rawthorpe Lane, Rawthorpe, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD5 9NT.