The Halifax Academy

The Halifax Academy is performing well overall, achieving a 'Good' rating in most areas and 'Outstanding' in behaviour, personal development, and leadership. The school's strong focus on character education and personal development is evident in the high levels of student engagement and confidence in their abilities. Although the academic performance has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels, initiatives are in place to support students in catching up on lost learning, especially for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The school has successfully transformed its curriculum to better prepare students for their futures, demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement and strong community ties.

Strengths

• Outstanding behaviour and attitudes among pupils
• Effective personal development curriculum promoting self-confidence
• Strong community links and support systems
• Proficient early years curriculum fostering conversational skills
• Highly effective professional development for staff

Areas for Improvement

• Significant gaps in knowledge and understanding due to COVID-19 impact

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 The Halifax Academy attended 91.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 27.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

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, 17.6% of pupils at The Halifax Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 12 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 The Halifax Academy had 15.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.5% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

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, 15.7% of pupils at The Halifax Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 4.7% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 The Halifax Academy received £8,305 and spent £8,139 for each of its 1,454 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £599,000 (£412 per pupil).

Across all 16 schools of Impact Education Multi Academy Trust, income was £8,135 and spending £8,022 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Halifax · Calderdale local authority: places and applications

The Halifax Academy is part of Impact Education Multi Academy Trust, which runs 17 schools. The nearest others:

• Warley Road Primary Academy Halifax
• Lee Mount Academy Halifax
• Clayton Village Academy Bradford
• Hollingwood Academy Bradford
• Manor Road Academy Huddersfield
• Lidget Green Academy Bradford
• Farnham Academy Bradford
• Crossley Hall Academy Bradford
• Newsome Academy Huddersfield
• Newsome Junior Academy Huddersfield

What is The Halifax Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Halifax Academy is Good, from an inspection in August 2023.

When was The Halifax Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

The Halifax Academy was last inspected in August 2023.

How many pupils does The Halifax Academy have?

The Halifax Academy has 1,461 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Halifax Academy cover?

The Halifax Academy for pupils aged 4 to 16.

What are The Halifax Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 39.6, and 30% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

What are The Halifax Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is The Halifax Academy?

The Halifax Academy is at Gibbet Street, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX2 0BA.