Most sought-after schools in Calderdale

Ordered by how many families put the school first, for each place it gave out.

This list is sorted by one number: first preferences per place. For each school it is the number of families who named it first, divided by the number of offers it made, in the newest year we hold. A higher number means more families wanted a place than there were places.

This is not a list of the best schools. It does not measure how good a school is, how happy the children are, or how well they do. It also does not tell you whether a child would get a place: that depends on where you live, the year, and the council's rules. It only shows how many people applied.

#	School	First preferences per place	Newest intake	Latest Ofsted
1	The Crossley Heath School Halifax, secondary	1.66	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
2	Bolton Brow Primary Academy Sowerby Bridge, primary	1.34	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
3	The North Halifax Grammar School Halifax, secondary	1.33	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
4	Moorside Community Primary School Halifax, primary	1.25	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
5	All Saints' CofE Primary School Halifax, primary	1.20	2026	Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
6	Northowram Primary School Halifax, primary	1.20	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
7	Bowling Green Academy Halifax, primary	1.19	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
8	Parkinson Lane Community Primary School Halifax, primary	1.15	2026	Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
9	Bailiffe Bridge Junior and Infant School Brighouse, primary	1.10	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
10	Trinity Academy Halifax Halifax, secondary	1.09	2026	Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
11	Old Earth Primary School Elland, primary	1.07	2026	School remains Outstanding (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
12	Warley Road Primary Academy Halifax, primary	1.07	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
13	Salterhebble Junior and Infant School Halifax, primary	1.04	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
14	Ryburn Valley High School Sowerby Bridge, secondary	1.03	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
15	Abbey Park Academy Halifax, primary	1.00	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
16	Carr Green Primary School Brighouse, primary	1.00	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
17	Castle Hill Primary School Todmorden, primary	1.00	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
18	Central Street Infant and Nursery School Hebden Bridge, primary	1.00	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
19	Christ Church Pellon CofE VC Primary School Halifax, primary	1.00	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
20	Dean Field Community Primary School Halifax, primary	1.00	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
21	Elland Church of England (Voluntary Aided) Junior, Infant and Nursery School Elland, primary	1.00	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
22	Ferney Lee Primary School Todmorden, primary	1.00	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
23	Ling Bob Junior, Infant and Nursery School Halifax, primary	1.00	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
24	Longroyde Primary School Brighouse, primary	1.00	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
25	Luddenden CofE School Halifax, primary	1.00	2026	Requires improvement (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
26	Old Town Primary School Hebden Bridge, primary	1.00	2026	Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
27	Ripponden Junior and Infant School Sowerby Bridge, primary	1.00	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
28	Sacred Heart Catholic Voluntary Academy Sowerby Bridge, primary	1.00	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
29	Scout Road Academy Hebden Bridge, primary	1.00	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
30	Shade Primary School Todmorden, primary	1.00	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
31	Siddal Primary School Halifax, primary	1.00	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
32	St John's Primary School In Rishworth Sowerby Bridge, primary	1.00	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
33	St Joseph's Catholic Primary Academy, Brighouse Brighouse, primary	1.00	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
34	St Malachy's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy Halifax, primary	1.00	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
35	St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy Halifax, primary	1.00	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
36	Stubbings Infant School Hebden Bridge, primary	1.00	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
37	Todmorden CofE J, I & N School Todmorden, primary	1.00	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
38	Trinity Academy Akroydon Halifax, primary	1.00	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
39	Trinity Academy Whitehill Halifax, primary	1.00	2026	Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
40	Wainstalls School Halifax, primary	1.00	2026	Improved significantly (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
41	Walsden St Peter's CE (VC) Primary School Todmorden, primary	1.00	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
42	Ash Green Community Primary School Halifax, primary	0.98	2026	Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
43	Bradshaw Primary School Halifax, primary	0.98	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
44	Brighouse High School Brighouse, secondary	0.98	2026	Needs attention (Ofsted report card (current framework))
45	St Andrew's Church of England (VA) Infant School Brighouse, primary	0.98	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
46	Woodhouse Primary School Brighouse, primary	0.98	2026	Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
47	Beech Hill School Halifax, primary	0.97	2026	Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
48	Cross Lane Primary and Nursery School Elland, primary	0.97	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
49	Barkisland CofE VA Primary School Halifax, primary	0.96	2026	Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
50	The Greetland Academy Halifax, primary	0.96	2026	Strong standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
51	Withinfields Primary School Halifax, primary	0.96	2026	Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
52	Cliffe Hill Community Primary School Halifax, primary	0.95	2026	Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
53	Lightcliffe C of E Primary School Halifax, primary	0.95	2026	Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
54	New Road Primary School Sowerby Bridge, primary	0.95	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
55	Triangle CofE VC Primary School Sowerby Bridge, primary	0.95	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
56	Salterlee Primary School Halifax, primary	0.94	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
57	St Michael and All Angels CofE Primary & Pre School Halifax, primary	0.94	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
58	Mount Pellon Primary Academy Halifax, primary	0.93	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
59	Rastrick High School Brighouse, secondary	0.93	2026	School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
60	Trinity Academy St Chad's Brighouse, primary	0.93	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
61	St Augustine's CofE School Halifax, primary	0.92	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
62	St Patrick's Catholic Primary Academy Elland, primary	0.92	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
63	The Brooksbank School Elland, secondary	0.91	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
64	Holy Trinity Primary School, A Church of England Academy Halifax, primary	0.90	2026	Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
65	Shelf Junior and Infant School Halifax, primary	0.90	2026	Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
66	Copley Primary School Halifax, primary	0.89	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
67	Savile Park Primary School Halifax, primary	0.89	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
68	Todmorden High School, A SHARE Academy Todmorden, secondary	0.89	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
69	The Calder Learning Trust Hebden Bridge, all through	0.88	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
70	St John's (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton Brighouse, primary	0.85	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
71	The Halifax Academy Halifax, all through	0.85	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
72	Warley Town School Halifax, primary	0.85	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
73	Luddendenfoot Academy Halifax, primary	0.84	2026	Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
74	St Joseph's Catholic Primary Academy Halifax, primary	0.83	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
75	Park Lane Academy Halifax, secondary	0.81	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
76	Lee Mount Academy Halifax, primary	0.79	2026	Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
77	Lightcliffe Academy Halifax, secondary	0.78	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
78	Trinity Academy Grammar Sowerby Bridge, secondary	0.74	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))

Figures from the Department for Education, applications and offers. 78 schools in Calderdale have a published per-place figure. Schools with too few places for the figure to mean anything are left off. All schools in Calderdale · How we compare schools.