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Lightcliffe Academy

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Sponsored academy

Stoney Lane, Lightcliffe, Halifax HX3 8TL · lightcliffeacademy.co.uk · 01422 201028

On the mapSearch near HX3 8TL

Overview

Ofsted
No overall grade
2019 framework · inspected Sept 2024
GCSEs, 2024/25
38.5
average Attainment 8 score. Calderdale 48.7, England 46
Demand for places
0.8
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
788
58% of 1,350 places
Local authority
Calderdale
Sixth form
No
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
35.4%
First language not English
4.9%
School census 2025/26
Trust
Abbey Multi Academy Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 98 families put the school first and 125 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 91 (Places 151)91September 2023: 116 (Places 226)116September 2024: 97 (Places 157)97September 2025: 87 (Places 159)87September 2026: 98 (Places 125)98Places 125
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 2026125980.8100%
September 2025Sept 2025159870.5100%
September 2024Sept 2024157970.6100%
September 2023Sept 20232261160.5100%
September 2022Sept 2022151910.6100%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 38.5, and 25.1% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Calderdale it was 48.7, and across England 46.

In 2018/19 the average A level result was grade D (21.5 points per entry).

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 42.5 (England 46.3)42.52017/18: 43.1 (England 46.5)43.12018/19: 41.0 (England 46.7)41.02021/22: 42.7 (England 48.8)42.72022/23: 41.0 (England 46.3)41.02023/24: 38.7 (England 45.9)38.72024/25: 38.5 (England 46.0)38.5England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▼38.546.0
▼25.1%45.4%
▼48.0%64.8%
▼20.6%40.5%
▼3.164.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form22.7−5.8
Sixth form college4.9−8.7
Further education51.7+16.2
Apprenticeship8.9+0.5
Employment3.4−0.3
Not in a lasting destination4.4−3.5
Activity not captured3.9+2.5

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

15/1616/1717/1818/192015/16: 27.3 (England 30.5)C-2016/17: 22.2 (England 31.1)D+2017/18: 21.1 (England 32.1)D2018/19: 21.5 (England 32.9)DEngland 32.9
2018/19TrendAverage gradeProgress
85 studentsD (21.5)Below average -0.47
86 studentsD (21.4)Below average -0.50
63 studentsMerit+ (26.8)Average -0.06
0%AAB or better
84.7%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2017/18138D (21.1)-0.31
2016/1755D+ (22.2)-0.42
2015/16116C- (27.3)+0.03

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/20
Left in 2019/20Since 2016/17
University47+12
Further education1−2
Apprenticeship16−6
Employment21−3
Not in a lasting destination12+1
Activity not captured3−2

Ofsted

Ofsted inspected Lightcliffe Academy on 24 September 2024 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.

Overall
No overall grade
Inspected
24 Sept 2024
Graded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Graded areas

Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood

Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Mar 2022

Earlier inspections

September 2019 to November 2025

  • Mar 2022Requires improvement
    Quality of educationRequires improvement
    Behaviour and attitudesRequires improvement
    Personal developmentRequires improvement
    Leadership and managementRequires improvement
    SafeguardingEffective
  • Nov 2021Monitoring visitEffective action
  • Jun 2021Monitoring visitEffective action
  • Feb 2021Monitoring visitEffective action
  • Feb 2020Monitoring visitEffective action
  • Oct 2019Monitoring visitEffective action

Before September 2019

  • Nov 2018Inadequate
    Outcomes for pupilsInadequate
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentInadequate
    Personal development, behaviour and welfareInadequate
    Leadership and managementInadequate
    16 to 19 study programmesInadequate
    SafeguardingEffective
  • Mar 2016Requires improvement
    Outcomes for pupilsRequires improvement
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentRequires improvement
    Personal development, behaviour and welfareRequires improvement
    Leadership and managementGood
    16 to 19 study programmesRequires improvement
    SafeguardingEffective
  • May 2014Inadequate
    Outcomes for pupilsInadequate
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentInadequate
    Leadership and managementInadequate

What parents said

66% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (79 replies, to 1 September 2025).

Recommend
66%
Replies
79
10% · 1 Sept 2025
Child is happy at school▼72% agreeEngland 89%
Child feels safe▼76% agreeEngland 90%
Pupils are well behaved▼70% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations▼74% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well▼70% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn▼73% agreeEngland 84%
Told how child is doing▼71% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects▼84% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities▼81% agreeEngland 91%
Supports personal development▼65% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly▼65% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 85% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▼43% agreeEngland 50%

based on the 30% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▼44% agreeEngland 67%

based on 25 parents (32%) with SEND

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