Calderdale / Calderdale 11+
Moorbottom Road, Illingworth, HX2 9SU
The North Halifax Grammar School
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A selective co-educational grammar school in Halifax, West Yorkshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,199 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective co-educational grammar school in Halifax, West Yorkshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,199 pupils on roll. The North Halifax Grammar School serves boys and girls aged 11-18 and keeps a full sixth form on site. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,199 pupils on roll and 180 Year 7 places.
From a family point of view, admissions are likely to be one of the most important parts of the picture. The current route includes FSCE, with 180 places available in Year 7 and demand that currently looks high by grammar-school standards. It is not defined by a tight formal catchment in the same way some selective schools are, although distance and oversubscription rules can still become relevant later in the process.
The academic side of the school is backed by enough published data to give families a useful starting point. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Good. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 0.18 and Attainment 8 at 68.4. 93.3% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 19.4% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 65% moving into higher education.
Published school information highlights facilities such as Science labs, Sports hall. The wider offer currently includes Drama. For many parents, the presence of a sixth form is part of the attraction, because it gives able pupils the option to stay in a familiar academic setting through to A level. Taken together, those features make The North Halifax Grammar School the kind of school that rewards careful research into travel, admissions detail, and day-to-day fit, not just headline outcomes.
Creative writing is tested in this school's current 11+ assessment.
A weak creative writing piece can leave a child short of qualification. 11 Plus Writing Coach helps families build steadier practice and clearer feedback.
From our 11 Plus Writing Coach site
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Calderdale and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Calderdale and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Calderdale and England.
North Halifax Grammar reserves up to 10 percent of places for children living in the priority admissions area who meet the qualifying standard. If that group is oversubscribed, English and mathematics rank order is used within the priority-area allocation.
Priority admissions area places
Up to 10 percent of the 180 places are reserved for children living in the North Halifax Grammar School priority admissions area who meet the qualifying standard in English, mathematics, and creative writing.
Priority area ranking
If the priority-area applicants exceed 10 percent of places, they are ranked by order of merit in English and mathematics.
Remaining qualified applicants
After the priority-area allocation, the remaining places are offered in order of merit to children who meet the qualifying standard in English, mathematics, and creative writing.
Tie-break
If scores are tied, priority goes first to siblings already at the school and then to the child living nearest to the school.
The 2027 process uses two English and mathematics test papers plus a creative-writing task. English and mathematics determine rank order after candidates meet the qualifying standard; creative writing is assessed separately for suitability.
This school uses the shared Yorkshire consortium route. The consortium page brings together the common test format, key dates and official papers used across that route.
Open Yorkshire guidePaper 1
Maths, English
Paper 1
Paper 1 tests mathematics and English.
Paper 2
Maths, English
Paper 2
Paper 2 tests mathematics and English.
Paper 3
Creative Writing
Creative Writing
Creative writing is judged after candidates meet the qualifying standard in English and mathematics.
English, Maths and Creative writing are included in the published format.
Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning and Science are not listed in the current published format.
English
Maths
Creative writing
Included within the published English paper.
Verbal reasoning
Non-verbal reasoning
Science
Registration opens
20 March 2026
Registration closes
26 June 2026
Main test
19 September 2026
Supplementary test
26 September 2026
Results released
16 October 2026
CAF deadline
31 October 2026
Offer day
1 March 2027
Read the admissions policy
Check the published rules for the priority admissions area, qualifying standard, and tie-breaks before you register.
Open admissionsRegister for the Halifax Grammar Schools test
Registration opens on 20 March 2026 and closes on 26 June 2026.
Open admissionsSit the main or supplementary test
The main test is on 19 September 2026 and the supplementary test is on 26 September 2026 for approved candidates.
Open familiarisationSubmit your CAF
List North Halifax Grammar School on your CAF by 31 October 2026 after results are issued in October.
Open admissionsLatest official destinations data currently covers 2022/23 study leavers.
Recent trend
This follows the school's published overall GCSE score across the subjects pupils take. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 69.9 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 67.9 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 68.4 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 68.5 | 72.3 | 46.8 |
Recent trend
This follows the published average A-level result for the school's sixth form. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | B+ average (41.8 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | C+ average (35.0 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | B- average (36.6 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B average (40.3 points) | 41.8 points | 35.0 points |
Recent trend
This follows the share of pupils moving into a sustained destination after Year 11, such as education, apprenticeships, or employment.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 99% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 99% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 99% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 99% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 98% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 1% |
| In employment | 1% |
Latest inspection: 9 November 2023
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Same Calderdale area and similar co-ed selective route
Nearby Yorkshire and the Humber option with a similar admissions route
Same wider selective region with a comparable travel distance
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Best Grammar Schools in Calderdale
Compare the best grammar schools in Calderdale for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Calderdale sits within the Yorkshire route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Best Grammar Schools in Calderdale
Compare the best grammar schools in Calderdale for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Calderdale sits within the Yorkshire route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
North Halifax Grammar School currently uses FSCE.
1. Read the admissions policy: Check the published rules for the priority admissions area, qualifying standard, and tie-breaks before you register. 2. Register for the Halifax Grammar Schools test: Registration opens on 20 March 2026 and closes on 26 June 2026. 3. Sit the main or supplementary test: The main test is on 19 September 2026 and the supplementary test is on 26 September 2026 for approved candidates. 4. Submit your CAF: List North Halifax Grammar School on your CAF by 31 October 2026 after results are issued in October.
Registration opens: 20 March 2026. Registration closes: 26 June 2026. Main test: 19 September 2026. Supplementary test: 26 September 2026. Results released: 16 October 2026. CAF deadline: 31 October 2026. Offer day: 1 March 2027
North Halifax Grammar School is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 9 November 2023.