Colne Valley High School
100%
Capacity
1,440
Pupils
1.6x
Demand
About Colne Valley High School
Colne Valley High School sits within the Kirklees local authority, a secondary landscape that includes 30 state schools of its type. Its Progress 8 score of -0.4 places it 22nd out of 24 schools in the borough, putting it in the bottom half locally. The top-performing peers in Kirklees are Heckmondwike Grammar School, Holmfirth High School, and Shelley College, A Share Academy, all of which achieve significantly higher Progress 8 scores. The nearest school rated Outstanding by Ofsted is Moor End Academy, just 2.3 kilometres away. Colne Valley itself is a mixed, non-denominational secondary for pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form. It is a large school, with 1,440 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,447, and a quarter of its students (24.6 per cent) are eligible for free school meals. The school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 409 applications for 257 places, with 242 first-preference offers made.
Academically, Colne Valley’s most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2025 rated the school Good overall, with Good marks for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This represents a clear improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2017, when it was rated Requires Improvement. However, the school’s exam results for the 2023/24 academic year show a mixed picture. Its Progress 8 score of -0.4 is below average nationally and well below the Kirklees local authority average of 0.07. The Attainment 8 score stands at 41.9, and the proportion of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and maths is 35.2 per cent. The EBacc entry rate is 27.5 per cent, with 19 per cent achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above. Progress in English, maths, and the EBacc subjects is all negative, ranging from -0.35 to -0.41.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a sports hall, swimming pool, theatre, music rooms, art studios, and a library, with clubs spanning science, coding, drama, choir, and gardening. Sports on offer include basketball, netball, hockey, and gymnastics. For pupils with special educational needs, the school lists provisions for eight categories, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Parent View responses, collected from 532 respondents between September 2024 and September 2025, reveal some concerns: only 28 per cent of parents would recommend the school, and just 22 per cent agree that SEND children receive the support they need. On the positive side, 76 per cent agree there is a good range of subjects, and 78 per cent agree their child can take part in clubs and activities. This is a school that suits families who value its improved Ofsted rating and wide extracurricular offer, but who are aware that academic outcomes currently sit below the local average.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Gillroyd Lane, Huddersfield, Kirklees, HD7 5SP |
| Headteacher | Steve Dixon |
| Local Authority | Kirklees |
| Number of Pupils | 1,440 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 24.6% |
| School Capacity | 1,440 / 1,447 (100% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
22 Jan 2025Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (22 Jan 2025): Some aspects not as strong
Source: Ofsted, 13 Oct 2019. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.40)
2459th of 3,141
Nationally
226th of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
22nd of 24
In Kirklees
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/231%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 250 pupils).
- Sixth form college51%
- FE college31%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Employment6%
- Not sustained4%
- School sixth form (stay)1%
96% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Ofsted Parent View
532 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed257
409
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
242 families put this school as their 1st choice (59% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:10
Breakfast club
08:00-08:40
Source: thecvhs.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British87.9%
- Mixed6.0%
- White (other)2.1%
- Asian1.3%
- Black0.1%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
5
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
4
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Colne Valley High School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Gillroyd Lane, Huddersfield
Kirklees, HD7 5SP
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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