Royds Hall, A Share Academy Review 2026: A purposeful 11 to 16 secondary with strong community focus in Paddock

Royds Hall, A Share Academy is a mixed, non selective secondary for ages 11 to 16, and part of SHARE Multi Academy Trust. Leadership has been stable, with Mrs Jenny Carr listed as Headteacher and Principal since November 2018.

The overall feel is one of clear routines and high expectations paired with a strong sense of belonging. Formal leadership roles for pupils and a visible emphasis on uniform and behaviour support this.

Entry is competitive. The most recent admissions figures available show 464 applications for 163 offers, which is around 2.85 applicants per place. This matters for families planning a move, as demand can tighten priorities in the oversubscription rules.

There is a consistent message running through the school’s own language: people come first, and success is framed as personal best rather than a narrow definition of attainment. The trust wide vision statement reinforces this, including the phrase Valuing People, Supporting Personal Best, which is presented as a practical standard for daily school life rather than a slogan.

Pupil voice is structured rather than informal, with an ambassadors programme and a school council referenced within the wider school organisation. The intent is clear, leadership is not reserved for the oldest students, and roles are framed as contributing to community life.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (13 and 14 March 2023, published 11 May 2023) judged the school Good across all areas and confirmed safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Inspectors also described a strong sense of community and ambition, and noted that pupils feel safe and generally behave well.

Academic outcomes sit close to the centre of the national picture for state secondaries. The school’s FindMySchool ranking places it 2,497th in England and 6th in Huddersfield for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This reflects solid performance in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

The average Attainment 8 score is 42, and Progress 8 is 0.0, which indicates progress broadly in line with expectations from students’ starting points. EBacc outcomes are an area to watch: the average EBacc point score is 3.69, and 14.2% achieved grades 5 or above across EBacc subjects.

What this means for families is fairly practical. Students who are organised, attend consistently, and benefit from structured teaching should do well here. Those seeking a strongly academic, language heavy EBacc pathway may want to scrutinise options guidance closely at Key Stage 4, including the balance between vocational routes and GCSE choices.

Teaching is framed around an ambitious curriculum sequence, with an emphasis on building knowledge over time and helping students remember what they have learned. Reading receives particular focus, including targeted support for older students who still need help with fluency and comprehension.

Pastoral structures are tightly linked to learning. Tutor time is built into the morning routine, and the school describes this as combining personal development, reading for pleasure, and structured discussion activities. That alignment matters, because it keeps attendance, behaviour, and learning as part of the same operating model rather than separate initiatives.

For students who need a quieter place to work, the school’s Independent Learning Centre supports supervised study through Homework Club, with access to resources, printing, and staff help for independent research.

Where Students Go Next

With no sixth form on site, post 16 planning is a core part of Year 10 and Year 11 experience. The careers content published by the school points to active coordination with local colleges and application timelines, including scheduled interviews and deadline reminders for Kirklees based providers.

The school also positions university aspiration as a realistic route for those who want it. The Royds Hall Scholars’ Programme is described as an enrichment pathway designed to raise aspirations and expose students to university style learning, including activities linked with Oxford and Cambridge Universities.

For families, the key implication is that the school expects students to make an intentional plan for 16 plus, whether that is A levels at a sixth form college, a technical course, or an apprenticeship route. Support exists, but it works best when students engage early rather than waiting for Year 11.

Year 7 admission is coordinated through the local authority rather than direct application to the school. For September 2026 entry, the school’s published guidance states 172 places are available, with applications submitted to Kirklees by 31 October 2025 and allocations issued on 2 March 2026.

Oversubscription is managed through a defined priority order, including looked after children, siblings, and Priority Admission Area rules, with distance used as a tie break where required.

Demand is meaningful. The latest admissions figures available show 464 applications for 163 offers, a ratio of 2.85 applicants per place, and the school is described as oversubscribed. Entry remains the practical constraint for many families, so it is sensible to treat admission planning and address checks as a first step rather than an afterthought. Parents comparing options can use the FindMySchool Map Search to understand how priorities and proximity may affect their realistic chances.

Pastoral care is built around year group leadership and daily tutor contact. The school sets out a five Heads of Year model, with tutors meeting students every morning for 20 minutes to monitor wellbeing and progress alongside structured personal development activity.

Beyond standard pastoral systems, the school describes a staffed wellbeing service offering one to one support on issues such as friendships, peer pressure, transition, self esteem, and bullying. There are also break and lunch time provisions for students, and wellbeing mentoring roles are named on the published information.

The school’s SEND information highlights targeted support for complex communication and interaction needs, including specialist staff and external agency collaboration, which is a significant offer for families where mainstream teaching alone is not enough.

Extracurricular life is strongest where it connects to aspiration, leadership, and confidence building.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is available at Bronze and Silver, starting from Year 9 and Year 10 respectively. For students who respond well to structured challenge, this creates a clear pathway for volunteering, fitness, and skills development, and it can be a confidence builder for those who prefer practical achievement to written assessment alone.

Public speaking and oracy are also given a specific route through Speakers Trust, referenced in the school’s published materials as part of broader opportunity and personal development.

For day to day academic habits, Homework Club in the Independent Learning Centre provides a calm supervised space after school. This tends to suit students who do not have quiet study conditions at home, or who benefit from adult prompts to organise homework and revision.

The school also shares evidence of wider cultural and creative activity through events and productions, including a named school production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in the school’s news stream.

The published school day runs from arrival at 8.30am to an end time of 3.00pm, with five one hour lessons and a split lunch arrangement. Breakfast Club is listed as running from 7.30am.

After school academic supervision is available through Homework Club in the Independent Learning Centre, with stated opening times on weekdays after the main day ends.

For travel planning, the setting in Paddock means many families will combine walking routes with local bus links and a short onward journey from central Huddersfield. Parking and drop off pressure tends to peak at the start and end of the day, so arriving slightly early can reduce stress.

• Competition for places. Demand is high, with 464 applications for 163 offers in the latest available figures, around 2.85 applicants per place. Families should treat admissions planning as a key step, not an administrative detail.

• Curriculum skills development. External review highlights that, in some subjects, opportunities to build subject specific methods and skills alongside knowledge are still being strengthened. This matters most for students who learn best by applying concepts rather than memorising content.

• Behaviour is mostly settled, but not perfect. The large majority behave well, but a small minority can disrupt learning at times. Families with students who are easily distracted should probe behaviour routines and classroom consistency during open events.

• No on site sixth form. All students move to a college or training route at 16, so Year 10 and Year 11 need to include active post 16 planning, including applications and interviews.

Royds Hall, A Share Academy is a structured, community minded Huddersfield secondary where expectations are clear and support systems are designed to help students stay on track. Academic outcomes sit broadly in line with the England middle band, with particular strengths in reading focus, attendance culture, and the availability of targeted wellbeing and SEND support.

Best suited to families who want a purposeful non selective school with defined routines, visible pastoral leadership, and practical pathways into college, apprenticeships, or longer term aspiration routes. The limiting factor for many will be admission competitiveness, so realistic planning matters as much as preferences.