School profile

Brighouse High School

Secondary · Academy converter · Brighouse, HD6 2NY

Requires improvement

Map showing Brighouse High School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,112 of 3,312

Worse than 63% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#1,965 of 2,536

Worse than 77% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Brighouse High School Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 24 Mar 2026

Area360 rating
Requires improvement
Inclusion
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching
Needs attention
Achievement
Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard
Leadership and governance
Needs attention
Post-16 provision
Expected standard
Safeguarding
Met

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,317
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Richard Horsfield
TrustBRIGHOUSE HIGH SCHOOL ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityCalderdale
Opened01 Apr 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 136604.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolCalderdaleEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.43.4, worse than England, worse than Calderdale4946.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.59.3%, worse than England, worse than Calderdale69%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.37.7%, worse than England, worse than Calderdale51.8%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.6.5%, worse than England, worse than Calderdale17.2%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths53.3%, worse than England, worse than Calderdale65.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4199--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolCalderdaleEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.28.71, worse than England, worse than Calderdale34.4335
Average A-level gradeC--
Average points, best three A-levels32.37, worse than England, worse than Calderdale35.6935.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC+--
AAB or better3.2%, worse than England, worse than Calderdale12.7%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.28, worse than England--
A-level progressBelow average, worse than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study150--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Merit+--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,317
Girls683
Boys634
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.21.3%
First language not English3.3%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,346
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.2.2%
Sixth form places2024/25380
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.168
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.65
Average class size20.5

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
87.7%
Other White
1.8%
White and Asian
1.6%
Other mixed
1.4%
White and Black Caribbean
1.2%
Pakistani
0.8%
White and Black African
0.7%
Indian
0.6%
African
0.5%
Other ethnic group
0.5%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher16.1
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.12.8
Teachers (FTE)81.73
Teaching assistants (FTE)6.69
Support staff (FTE)57.58
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2580.5
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2572.1
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/254
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/254.4

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.203
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.462
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.198
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.194
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)92

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolCalderdaleEngland
Overall absence7.5%, similar to England, similar to Calderdale7.5%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.20.5%, similar to England, similar to Calderdale20.6%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.3.8%, similar to England, worse than Calderdale3.3%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate23.4%
Pupils with one or more suspensions8%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.92.3%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.81.7%
School sixth form38.5%
Further education25%
Sixth form college17.3%
Apprenticeship8.7%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.6.7%
Employment1.9%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.84.3%
Higher education47%
Employment21.7%
Apprenticeship12.2%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.11.3%
Further education1.7%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Brighouse High School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miPrimarySt Joseph's Catholic Primary Academy, BrighouseAcademy converter
Good
0.2 miPrimaryTrinity Academy St Chad'sAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.4 miPrimarySt Andrew's Church of England (VA) Infant SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.6 miPrimaryCliffe Hill Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.7 miPrimarySt Andrew's CofE (VA) Junior SchoolVoluntary aided school
Outstanding
0.7 miSecondaryLightcliffe AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.9 miPrimaryLightcliffe C of E Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.0 miPrimaryBailiffe Bridge Junior and Infant SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.2 miSecondaryRastrick High SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.2 miPrimaryLongroyde Primary SchoolFoundation school
Good

Frequently asked questions about Brighouse High School

What is Brighouse High School's Ofsted rating?

Brighouse High School is rated Requires improvement, last inspected on 24 Mar 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Brighouse High School rank in England?

Brighouse High School ranks 2,112 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 63% of schools) and 1,965 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 77% of schools).

What are Brighouse High School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 37.7% of pupils at Brighouse High School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 43.4 (England 46.2).

What are Brighouse High School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Brighouse High School was C, and 3.2% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Brighouse High School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Brighouse High School made 203 offers from 462 applications (2.3 per offer), and 194 of 198 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Brighouse High School?

Brighouse High School has 1,317 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Brighouse High School?

Brighouse High School had 1,346 school places in 2024/25.

Does Brighouse High School have a sixth form?

Yes, Brighouse High School has a sixth form with 380 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Brighouse High School?

At Brighouse High School, the average class had 20.5 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 16.1 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Brighouse High School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Brighouse High School missed 7.5% of sessions (England 8%), and 20.5% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.