Woodhouse Primary School, Brighouse Review 2026: High outcomes with an on-site pool and clear routines

A state primary with weekly swimming built into school life is unusual. Here, it is part of a wider picture of structured routines, high expectations, and strong Key Stage 2 outcomes.

Woodhouse serves pupils aged 4 to 11 in the Woodhouse area of Brighouse, within Calderdale, and it is a community school with a published capacity of 420. Mrs Anne Crane has been headteacher since September 2022. The latest Ofsted visit (February 2025) confirmed the school has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection, and the school remains Good.

Academically, results sit above England averages across the headline Key Stage 2 measures, and the school’s position in England-wide performance tables aligns with that picture. Families also get a distinctive blend of enrichment, from an all-weather running track and orienteering course to pupil leadership roles like Be Carers and Be Safers.

The school’s language around culture is consistent and memorable. Six aims shape the curriculum focus across the year: Be United, Be Creative, Be Bold, Be Safe, Be Healthy, and Be Caring. It is not just branding. Those themes show up in the way pupils are given responsibility, in the way wellbeing is talked about, and in the way wider opportunities are framed as part of learning rather than a bolt-on.

Daily routines are explicitly organised. Gates open at 8.40am for morning work, registers are taken at 8.50am, and the site locks promptly at 8.50am. That matters in practice because it creates a calm start and makes punctuality expectations clear for families, including those with multiple drop-offs.

Pupil voice and leadership are prominent. Be Carers are used in Key Stage 2 as a peer-facing wellbeing role, with pupils applying formally and then setting priorities. Alongside this, the Zones of Regulation approach is used to help children label emotions and develop self-regulation strategies, using a simple colour framework. The same “Be…” vocabulary runs through online safety too, with Be Safers leading assemblies on the topic.

Woodhouse’s Key Stage 2 outcomes are comfortably above England averages in the most recent published data.

In 2024, 84.33% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 29.33% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics, well above the England average of 8%. Science is also strong: 85% reached the expected standard, compared with an England average of 82%.

Scaled scores reinforce the message of consistently secure attainment. In 2024, the average scaled score was 107 in reading and 107 in mathematics (with GPS at 109). On the component measures, 88% reached the expected standard in reading, 83% in mathematics, and 87% in grammar, punctuation and spelling. The combined measure across reading, writing, maths, GPS and science was 85%.

Rankings provide additional context for parents who want a comparator beyond raw percentages. Ranked 2,333rd in England and 2nd in the Brighouse area for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance sits above England average, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of primary schools in England.

Parents comparing nearby options can use the FindMySchool local hub and comparison tools to view these outcomes side-by-side, especially useful when schools have similar Ofsted grades but different attainment profiles.

The curriculum is deliberately structured around both core knowledge and broader development. Beyond English, maths and science, pupils study the full range of foundation subjects, with French in Key Stage 2, and religious education taught through the locally recommended syllabus.

A distinctive feature is the school’s bespoke RESPECT curriculum, built around relationships education and pupils’ personal, social, emotional and citizenship development. This is positioned as part of safeguarding and readiness for the opportunities and responsibilities of later life, not simply a PSHE slot.

In the classroom, routines are supported by a clear behaviour and reward framework. The GR8 learning system is referenced across school documentation as a way to recognise achievement and develop habits such as perseverance, collaboration, and reflective attitudes to learning. For families, the implication is a school where learning behaviours are taught explicitly, which often suits children who respond well to clarity and predictable expectations.

As a primary school, Woodhouse’s “next steps” are mainly about transition readiness rather than published destination statistics. The curriculum is built to prepare pupils for Key Stage 3 across the full subject range, with a stated emphasis on cultural capital and confident decision-making.

There is also a practical transition advantage for some families through partnership work. Links with a local high school are used for music collaboration and sports connections, which can make the move to secondary feel more familiar for pupils who follow that pathway.

For parents who want a tight shortlist of likely secondaries, the best approach is to cross-check Calderdale and (for some addresses) Kirklees allocation patterns, then use FindMySchoolMap Search to sanity-check travel time and daily logistics. Feeder patterns vary year to year, and family moves across local authority lines can change what is realistic.

Demand is real. In the latest available Reception admissions data, 101 applications were recorded for 52 offers, which is about 1.94 applications per place, and the school is classed as oversubscribed.

Admissions are coordinated by Calderdale Council for families living in Calderdale. For September 2026 entry into Reception, the Calderdale application window opened on 18 November 2025 and closed on 15 January 2026. National Offer Day for primary places is 16 April 2026. Families living outside Calderdale apply through their home local authority, even when naming a Calderdale school.

Open events are used for early insight. The school advertised an open afternoon in November 2025 with booking. For families targeting a later entry year, the safe assumption is that open events typically run in November, and places may be ticketed. Check the school diary for the current cycle before planning visits.

Because last-distance allocation figures are not available here, families should treat proximity as important but not definitive. In oversubscribed years, small differences in sibling status, address changes, or local authority rules can shift outcomes.

Wellbeing is not treated as a hidden add-on. There is a named wellbeing approach with specific tools and roles, including check-ins with key adults, interventions such as Circle of Friends, and the Be Carers pupil role in Key Stage 2. The aim is early identification and regular support rather than waiting for issues to escalate.

The February 2025 Ofsted visit stated that pupils feel safe and have trusted adults at school. For parents, that is the most useful pastoral headline, because it speaks directly to day-to-day confidence, not just policy compliance.

Support for additional needs is described in practical terms: early identification, adaptive teaching, referrals where needed, and a cycle of assess, plan, do, review. A key point is that the school positions inclusion as a whole-school priority, with systems designed to support both academic and social development.

Woodhouse offers a mix of enrichment that is both distinctive and grounded in routine participation.

Swimming is a standout. Pupils develop swimming skills in the school’s own pool, and swimming is also referenced across the PE programme and wider curriculum. That has an obvious implication for confidence and water safety, and it also gives the school an extra lever for engagement for pupils who learn best through physical challenge.

Sport is not limited to fixtures. The programme references two PE lessons a week plus swimming, running and skipping challenges on an all-weather running track, and orienteering using a bespoke orienteering course. Older pupils also access adventurous activities like rock climbing through a local climbing gym. This is a practical, skills-based approach to physical education, likely to suit children who enjoy measurable goals and variety.

Clubs are named rather than generic. Activities highlighted include gymnastics, chess club, choir, creative writing and geography club. Music opportunities also include choir and performance events, with optional peripatetic lessons through the local music hub (usually at an additional charge to parents).

Community fundraising is built into the weekly rhythm. A Friday bun sale is run as a small-scale charity fundraiser, with buns sold for £0.20 and classes taking turns to bake or donate. The school links this to specific supported charities, helping pupils see the point of collective effort.

The school day is clearly structured by phase. Morning sessions start at 8.50am, with different end times depending on year group, and afternoon sessions run to 3.20pm for Reception and Key Stage 1, and to 3.25pm for Key Stage 2. Gates open from 8.40am for morning work and reopen at 3.10pm for pick-up.

Wraparound care is available through local providers signposted by the school, including a dedicated out-of-school club for Woodhouse families. As arrangements can change, parents should check the latest wraparound guidance before relying on availability, especially if they need both before-school and after-school cover.

Other day-to-day costs are modest but present. For example, milk is free for under-fives and is available to older pupils at £0.28 per day if families opt in.

• Oversubscription pressure. With close to two applications per place in the latest available Reception data, admission is competitive. Families should plan early and avoid assuming a place will follow automatically from proximity alone.

• A structured culture. Clear routines, punctuality expectations, and a consistent behaviour framework suit many children. Those who struggle with tight structure may need time to settle, and parents should ask about adjustment support.

• Breadth still being refined in places. Core subjects are well established, and some wider curriculum areas were described as still developing. Families who prioritise humanities and the wider foundation curriculum may want to ask how subject sequencing and knowledge-building are being strengthened.

• Logistics for wraparound. Wraparound is available via local partners rather than an in-house club model. That can work very well, but parents should confirm places, timings, and handover arrangements early.

Woodhouse Primary School combines strong Key Stage 2 outcomes with a culture built on clear expectations, pupil responsibility, and practical enrichment. The on-site pool, structured wellbeing roles like Be Carers, and a defined curriculum spine (including the RESPECT programme) make it feel more distinctive than many similarly graded primaries.

It suits families who want a well-organised school day, high academic expectations, and plenty of active opportunities. The main hurdle is admission, so planning ahead and understanding Calderdale’s coordinated process is essential.