All Hallows’ CofE (VA) Primary School in Almondbury, Huddersfield, has been placed into special measures following a critical inspection by Ofsted. The report, published on 01 April 2026, details that the school is failing to provide an acceptable standard of education, marking a significant decline from its previous rating of Good in October 2021.
The inspection, which took place on 27 January 2026, found that the school requires urgent improvement in four areas: achievement, curriculum and teaching, leadership and governance, and inclusion, while personal development and wellbeing needs attention.
While safeguarding standards were found to be met, inspectors concluded that those responsible for leading and managing the school have not shown the ability to make the necessary improvements. The school, which serves 189 pupils, has faced challenges related to leadership instability, including a period of a full term without a permanent headteacher.
Sarah Wilson was appointed as the new headteacher in January 2026 to lead the recovery effort. Despite the findings, the report notes that parents and carers remain supportive of the school and have already observed positive changes under the new leadership, particularly regarding improved communication. Data gathered during the inspection highlights performance gaps, with only 46% of pupils reaching expected standards in reading, writing, and mathematics. This is lower than the national average of 61%.
Furthermore, a notable achievement gap exists for disadvantaged pupils, with only 21% reaching the expected standards compared to the national average of 68% for non-disadvantaged pupils. The school also supports a higher-than-average proportion of pupils with special educational needs. The inspection team, led by Tracy Duffy, engaged with senior leaders, the chair of the board of governors, Susan Edwards, and representatives from the Diocese of Leeds and the local authority.
The school and its leadership team are now tasked with addressing these urgent recommendations to improve educational outcomes for the community.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
