Westborough High School

About Westborough High School

Westborough High School sits within the Kirklees local authority, a mixed secondary for pupils aged 11 to 16 with no sixth form. Among the 30 state secondaries in the area, it ranks 11th by Progress 8 score, placing it in the top half of Kirklees schools. The top-performing peers locally are Heckmondwike Grammar School, Holmfirth High School, and Shelley College, A Share Academy, all of which post higher Progress 8 scores. Westborough’s own score of 0.17 is above the Kirklees average of 0.07, meaning pupils here make stronger progress than the typical student across the authority. The school is oversubscribed: for 187 places in the 2025/26 intake, it received 369 applications, with 145 first-preference offers. That ratio of nearly two applicants per place suggests genuine local demand, and 99% of parents who responded to the Parent View survey would recommend the school.

Academically, Westborough delivers solid but mixed results. Its Attainment 8 score of 42.4 means the average pupil achieves just over a grade 4 per subject. The basics measure shows 58.8% of pupils secure a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, though the more demanding grade 5 threshold drops to 34.8%. Progress 8 is positive overall at 0.17, but the breakdown reveals variation: maths progress is notably strong at 0.42, while English progress sits at -0.19, suggesting some pupils underperform in that subject relative to their starting points. The EBacc entry rate is 33.2%, with 16% achieving the full EBacc at grade 4 or above. Ofsted rated the school Good in its most recent graded inspection, with leadership and management also judged Good. The previous inspection had rated it Requires Improvement, so the improvement trajectory is clear.

The school is well equipped with facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, and sports hall, and offers clubs such as drama, eco club, choir, and young enterprise. SEND provision covers a broad range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health support. In the Parent View survey, 100% of respondents agreed that SEND children receive the support they need. The school has 919 pupils against a capacity of 900, so it is operating slightly above its official number. With a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 46.2%, Westborough serves a diverse and disadvantaged intake. It suits families who want a non-selective, inclusive secondary with strong maths progress, good facilities, and a clear record of improvement under headteacher Jennifer Cass.

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