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St Malachy's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy

Calderdale, HX2 8JYPrimaryAges 3–11MixedState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
4 Good · 1 Requires improvement
Jul 2025
KS2 Results
14%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
12 1st-choice / 12 places
Ranking
#13,618
of 13,686 nationally

About St Malachy's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy

St Malachy's Catholic Primary School, a voluntary academy in Calderdale, serves a community where just over half of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a figure that places it among the most economically disadvantaged primary settings in the local authority. The school is one of 82 primary schools in Calderdale, and its most recent ranking places it 72nd within that group, putting it in the bottom tier locally. For context, the highest-performing peers in the area include St Mary's CofE (VC) J and I School, All Saints' CofE Primary School, and The Greetland Academy, all of which sit well above St Malachy's in the local rankings. The nearest school rated Outstanding by Ofsted is Parkinson Lane Community Primary School, about three kilometres away. St Malachy's itself was judged as Requires Improvement overall in its most recent graded inspection, though the school has not received a full effectiveness rating in its latest visit, which took place in 2025.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range3 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressFurness Place, Halifax, Calderdale, HX2 8JY
HeadteacherOliver Harper
Local AuthorityCalderdale
Number of Pupils162
Free School Meals (FSM)59.9%
School Capacity162 / 210 (77% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

1 Jul 2025
View Report
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Early Years Provision
Good

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.

Source: Ofsted, 7 Sept 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

5
Forest SchoolLibraryOutdoor PlaygroundArt StudiosChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

12

Sports

GymnasticsDanceNetballTennisCricketCross CountrySwimming

Clubs & Activities

Film ClubDramaChoirBook ClubChess

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

DyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguagePhysicalOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St Malachy's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy

St Malachy's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.