Calderdale schools admissions: More get their choice in new school year

At primary school level, the proportion of pupils who were offered their first preference school in 2022 was 95.4 per cent, slightly down on 2021’s 95.7 per cent but above the national average of 92.2 per cent.

In all, 98.9 per cent of primary school age children received an offer at one of their top three preferences and 99.0 per cent at one of their five preferences, also above national averages (98.1 per cent and 98.4 per cent respectively), reported Calderdale Council Cabinet member for Children and Young People’s Services, Coun Adam Wilkinson (Lab, Sowerby Bridge).

No pupils received no offer of a primary school place, compared to 0.1 per cent nationally, he said.

At secondary school level, 88.6 per cent of pupils received an offer of their first preference, significantly higher than the 81.9 per cent who did so in 2021 and the highest rate of first preference recorded in data since 2014, said Coun Wilkinson.

This was also above the national average of 83.3 per cent (itself up from 81.1 per cent in 2021).

In all, 97.4 per cent of pupils received an offer at one of their top three secondary school preferences, and 97.8 per cent at one of their preferences (above the national averages of 94.4 per cent and 95.8 per cent respectively).

No students received no offer of a secondary place (0.3 nationally), Coun Wilkinson said.

He was reporting to a recent meeting of the full Calderdale Council at Halifax Town Hall.