Moorside Community Primary School

About Moorside Community Primary School

Moorside Community Primary School in Calderdale is a school that local families clearly want to get into. For the 2025/26 intake, it received 51 applications for just 24 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.13, meaning more than two families applied for every spot. Of those, 32 put it as their first preference, and all 24 first-preference offers were taken up. That level of demand is a strong signal from the parent community, though the school does not publish a formal parent-view recommendation percentage. The school is a state primary for mixed genders aged 3 to 11, with a nursery on site, and is rated Good by Ofsted following its most recent graded inspection in February 2023. Headteacher Heidi Higgs leads a school of 229 pupils, very close to its capacity of 236, so it is effectively full.

Academically, Moorside's results sit below the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 tests, 37% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the Calderdale local authority average of 59%. That places the school 65th out of 73 primary schools in the borough, putting it in the bottom half locally and the bottom 50% nationally. Looking at individual subjects, 57% hit the expected standard in reading and 60% in both maths and writing. At the higher standard, 17% achieved it in reading and maths, 10% in writing, and just 7% across all three subjects. The school's average scaled scores were 101 in both reading and maths. Ofsted's breakdown from 2023 rated every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — as Good, consistent with its previous Good rating from 2012.

The school offers a practical range of facilities including a library, ICT suite, sensory room, playing fields, and a chapel. Sports provision covers dance, swimming, athletics and rounders, while after-school clubs include coding, drama, eco club and film club. For families with children who have additional needs, Moorside lists SEND support for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, multi-sensory impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. The school is non-religious and does not have a sixth form. Given its oversubscription and strong local demand, this is a school that suits families who prioritise a Good-rated, community-focused primary with a broad club offer and dedicated SEND support, but who are comfortable with academic outcomes that are below the Calderdale average.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Moorside Community Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents