Upper Batley High School
105%
Capacity
789
Pupils
1.9x
Demand
About Upper Batley High School
Upper Batley High School, a boys' secondary school in Kirklees, posts a Progress 8 score of 0.12, which sits above the local authority average of 0.07 for schools of its type. That places it in the 'Average' banding nationally, but within Kirklees it ranks 14th out of 24 schools, putting it in the top half of the borough. The school is clearly doing something right academically, especially given that it is oversubscribed: for 144 places in 2025/26, it received 273 applications, with 171 of those as first preferences. That level of demand suggests local families see it as a strong option, and the data backs that up.
Digging into the exam results, the school's Attainment 8 score is 45.5, and 70.2% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, with 46.6% hitting the stronger grade 5 benchmark. The English Baccalaureate average point score sits at 4.21, and 47.8% of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects. The Progress 8 breakdown reveals real strengths in maths (0.51) and the EBacc subjects (0.42), though English (-0.09) and open subjects (-0.3) lag behind. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in June 2024, confirmed it remains Good, a rating it has held since its last graded inspection in March 2019, where leadership and management were also judged Good.
The school offers a broad range of facilities, including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, and science labs, plus sports like football, cricket, and athletics. It also provides a wide array of clubs, from Young Enterprise and debate to orchestra and film club. For SEND, the school supports pupils with specific learning difficulties, autism, speech and language needs, and more. With no sixth form, it suits families looking for a strong 11-16 option that sends pupils on to local colleges or grammar schools. The oversubscription ratio of 1.9 and high first-preference numbers mean it is a competitive choice, so parents should be prepared to apply early.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Boys |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Blenheim Drive, Batley, Kirklees, WF17 0BJ |
| Headteacher | Aman Singh Kang |
| Local Authority | Kirklees |
| Number of Pupils | 789 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 28.0% |
| School Capacity | 789 / 750 (105% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
12 Jun 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (12 Jun 2024): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 27 May 2019. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.12)
1279th of 3,141
Nationally
112th of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
14th of 24
In Kirklees
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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
2022/2311%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 111 pupils).
- FE college42%
- Sixth form college32%
- School sixth form (stay)11%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Employment3%
92% 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.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed144
273
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
171 families put this school as their 1st choice (63% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- Asian85.9%
- Mixed5.5%
- White British5.1%
- White (other)1.1%
- Black0.3%
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.
11
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
8
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Upper Batley 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
Blenheim Drive, Batley
Kirklees, WF17 0BJ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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