All Hallows' CofE (VA) Primary School

All Hallows' CofE (VA) Primary School

Address: Longcroft, Almondbury, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD5 8XW Unique reference number (URN): 107727

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Monitoring inspection: 10 June 2026

Urgent improvement This school had a full inspection on 27 January 2026 . We graded some areas as 'urgent improvement' and 'needs attention' from the full inspection. We carried out a monitoring inspection on 10 June 2026.

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Monitoring inspection: 10 June 2026

Inspectors only considered the areas marked as updated. Inspectors focused on the following areas: Curriculum and teaching, Leadership and governance. To find out more read our monitoring inspection guidance.

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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This school requires special measures

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to provide an acceptable standard of education, and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders encourage pupils to attend school often and arrive on time. The school provides a warm welcome for all its pupils and creates a strong sense of belonging. Staff build positive relationships with parents and carers to ensure that pupils get the support they need to attend school well. Leaders identify any barriers that prevent regular attendance and are generally successful at removing these for most pupils. As a result, pupils’ attendance is in line with the national average.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Each morning, caring staff greet pupils as they enter the calm classroom environment. Pupils conduct themselves well and meet the school's high behaviour expectations. They are polite and kind to each other. Pupils understand and follow well-established rules and routines. Staff deal with any incidents that arise fairly and effectively. In lessons, pupils listen carefully and follow instructions.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders record and analyse incidents of poor behaviour thoroughly. They use this information to identify pupils who may need extra help. Staff provide close support to improve the behaviour of these pupils. The school acts swiftly to resolve any issues involving bullying. Pupils are confident that bullying is not a problem.

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Early years Needs attention

The curriculum in the early years has been planned carefully. It outlines precisely what the school wants children to know. This includes the development of communication and language, as well as supporting children to secure early reading, mathematics and writing knowledge. However, there are variations in how well the curriculum is taught. The quality of adult interactions with children is inconsistent. The learning environment is not well developed. Children do not benefit from a broad and rich diet of opportunities to develop and consolidate their learning through play. Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is not always matched well to their needs. While children typically gain a knowledge of phonics to read accurately, too many of them are not ready for the demands of Year 1.

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Early years Needs attention

Staff know the children well and forge warm and nurturing relationships. They gently guide children to develop their social skills, such as sharing and taking turns, as children play alongside their friends. Staff successfully encourage children to follow the school’s routines.

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Early years Needs attention

Leaders and staff form effective relationships with parents and carers, so they are involved fully in their children’s education. Parents speak highly of the support and care that their children receive.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

The school’s personal development provision is not preparing pupils well enough for life in modern Britain. Pupils have limited understanding of fundamental British values and the diversity of people, including characteristics protected in law, different religions and belief systems, and cultures beyond their own.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

There is a limited range of wider opportunities available to broaden pupils’ horizons culturally and in the fields of sport, music and art. Leaders are aware of this and are beginning to expand the school’s offer.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Some aspects of the personal development programme are effective. For example, the school teaches pupils how to look after their physical and mental health. They learn how to be safe in the community and online. Visitors to school help to reinforce these important messages. Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships. They know what makes a good friend.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

The pastoral offer is a strength of the school. Pupils benefit from group and individual support for their mental health and wellbeing. This is particularly helpful for pupils who are disadvantaged. They learn to understand and manage their emotions. Parents and carers value the carefully tailored support when pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities transition to secondary school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

The school aims to build pupils’ character through the school’s values. Pupils know the difference between right and wrong. As soon as they join the school, they are taught to

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Urgent improvement

respect, value and show compassion to others. Pupils take on a range of roles supporting other pupils and contributing to the smooth running of the school. For example, older pupils support younger pupils through their roles as play leaders and reading buddies.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Too many pupils leave the school without the knowledge and skills they need for secondary school.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Pupils do not develop detailed knowledge across the curriculum. They struggle to remember important information, and the work they produce often does not demonstrate that they have learned what the school’s curriculum intends.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

The attainment of pupils in the Year 1 phonics screening check is close to the national average. Despite this, many pupils do not develop the basic knowledge and skills that they need in communication, reading, writing and mathematics. Gaps in their knowledge are not addressed. Pupils are not helped systematically to catch up when they fall behind.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Typically, pupils’ attainment and progress in most national tests have been well below national averages, over time. Disadvantaged pupils do not make suitable progress from their starting points. Their outcomes are well below other pupils nationally, and this gap is widening.

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Curriculum and teaching Updated Urgent improvement

Since the last inspection, leaders have evaluated the quality of each subject. They now have an accurate view of the curriculum's strengths and weaknesses. Leaders are checking how well staff teach the curriculum. Professional learning opportunities are beginning to help teachers understand how to sequence learning in writing and early reading. However, there is still much to do. Staff remain unclear about how to teach the content of the curriculum effectively. They do not provide suitable learning activities that help pupils build a breadth and depth of knowledge. Staff do not check carefully enough that pupils understand what they are learning. There are still too few opportunities for pupils to revisit prior learning. This means gaps in pupils' knowledge across most areas of the curriculum continue.

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Curriculum and teaching Updated Urgent improvement

Teachers now make simple adaptations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have also begun to provide more purposeful support to help pupils who have fallen behind to catch up. This is beginning to reduce academic barriers and allow pupils to more regularly engage in their learning. However, classroom learning tasks for pupils with SEND are often confusing and too difficult. As a result, gaps in learning for these pupils persist.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Support for disadvantaged pupils is ineffective. The school’s approach to using additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils is not well considered. The strategy does not address the challenges that these pupils face. The school’s approach to evaluating the impact of additional funding and the support that disadvantaged pupils receive is weak. Leaders do not know if their actions are making a positive difference for these pupils.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Leaders identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly and accurately. They work effectively with parents and carers and professionals to devise appropriate plans. However, reduced leadership capacity recently means that leaders have not ensured that staff have the skills necessary to put these plans into practice. Staff do not make suitable adaptations to learning so that pupils with SEND can access the curriculum and succeed. Too many of these pupils spend too much time out of class because their learning needs are not being met effectively in class.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

In contrast, the school has ensured that staff understand the social, emotional and mental health needs of pupils. Staff provide appropriate support for pupils who are vulnerable, including pupils known to social care. They act quickly when they notice that a pupil may need extra help. This helps pupils to manage their emotions successfully.

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Leadership and governance Updated Urgent improvement

Since the full inspection, leaders have carried out several activities to check on the effectiveness of the provision across the school. This includes checking the quality of education, how well pupils are supported in lessons and the impact of leadership and governance. Leaders now have an accurate view of the school. They know what actions to take to make the necessary improvements. However, it is too soon to see what difference these actions are making for pupils.

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Leadership and governance Updated Urgent improvement

Governors have begun to seek further professional learning opportunities and guidance. Despite this, they do not check the quality of provision or use effective ways to track improvements. Governors continue to not meet their statutory duties.

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Leadership and governance Updated Urgent improvement

Leaders have refocused their actions to improve the quality of education for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged. They have provided staff with professional learning opportunities on strategies such as using visual timetables and communication boards and supporting pupils' transitions throughout the school day. However, this work is in its infancy. The quality of the provision remains too variable.

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Leadership and governance Updated Urgent improvement

Staff continue to be positive about recent and ongoing changes. They say that leaders are considerate of their wellbeing. Leaders continue to ensure that staff workload remains manageable. Parents and carers are supportive of the school. They appreciate leaders' visible presence and look forward to working alongside them to improve the provision at school.

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Monitoring inspection : 10 June 2026

Since the full inspection, the new headteacher has identified clear priorities to improve the school. Leaders across the school now have a clear focus and know which areas they need to improve. They are ambitious for the school. However, there is still much work to do. Lessons continue to not help pupils learn effectively. Teachers’ expectations of pupils are still too low.

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Monitoring inspection : 10 June 2026

Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is beginning to improve. Leaders have an accurate oversight of pupils' starting points and the support pupils need. However, some pupils continue to receive inconsistent experiences. Pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged and those with SEND, continue to not achieve as well as they should.

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Monitoring inspection : 10 June 2026

The school maintains its welcoming environment. Staff and pupils look out for each other. Relationships are respectful. Pupils continue to behave positively and meet the school's expectations. They attend school often and arrive on time. Parents and carers speak warmly about the care and nurture that their children receive.

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Full inspection : 27 January 2026

Leaders and governors have had an over-generous view of the school for some time. They have not focused on the most important priorities to tackle weaknesses in pupils’ education. Pupils’ experiences in lessons do not help them to learn effectively. Teachers’ expectations of pupils are often too low. Support for disadvantaged pupils and for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is ineffective. Pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged and those with SEND, do not achieve as well as they should.

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Full inspection : 27 January 2026

After a period without a substantive headteacher, new leadership has been welcomed by pupils and the school community. Leaders have quickly and accurately identified what the school needs to do to improve, but there has not been sufficient time to act on the findings.

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Full inspection : 27 January 2026

Despite these weaknesses, All Hallows' is a welcoming school where pupils, staff, and parents and carers quickly feel like they belong. Pupils feel safe because they know they have trusted adults they can turn to. Pupils attend school often and arrive on time.

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Full inspection : 27 January 2026

From the Reception Year, children benefit from warm and nurturing relationships with adults. They begin to make friends and play and work together. They develop a sense of belonging that lasts throughout their school life. Pastoral staff listen carefully to pupils and provide suitable support for pupils and families.

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Full inspection : 27 January 2026

Pupils behave well and look after each other. Playtimes are friendly and harmonious. Relationships between staff and pupils are respectful. Pupils are confident that if bullying were to happen, it would be dealt with quickly.

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Full inspection : 27 January 2026

Pupils are taught how to stay safe and healthy. They have a good understanding of healthy relationships. However, pupils’ understanding of characteristics protected in law, British values and cultural diversity is typically weak. This means that pupils are not prepared well for life in modern Britain.

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Next steps

Leaders must quickly and accurately identify the challenges that disadvantaged pupils face and devise a suitable strategy that addresses these pupils’ needs and significantly improves their outcomes. Leaders must ensure that the curriculum in each subject is planned sequentially so that pupils can make connections with prior learning and build an increasing depth of knowledge. Leaders must ensure that staff have the knowledge and expertise to adapt learning to meet the needs of all pupils, especially pupils with special educational needs and or disabilities. Leaders must ensure that staff identify accurately and resolve swiftly gaps in pupils’ knowledge so that pupils make the progress that they should through the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that pupils develop a clear understanding about equality and diversity, including their knowledge of fundamental British values, the protected characteristics and different faiths and cultures.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that the early years curriculum is delivered effectively and that staff consolidate children’s learning through high-quality interactions and stimulating activities. Those responsible for governance must build their knowledge and expertise so that they are well informed about all aspects of the provision, fulfil their statutory duties and hold leaders effectively to account.

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About this inspection

The inspectors conducted this monitoring inspection under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005. It was carried out to evaluate the progress leaders have made in improving the evaluation areas graded as ‘Urgent improvement’ and ‘Needs attention’ at the previous full inspection.

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About this inspection

This was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require special measures following the full inspection that took place in January 2026.

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About this inspection

The purpose of this monitoring inspection was to identify and report on the school’s progress in addressing the priorities for improvement set out in the report card from the full inspection. Inspectors may change a grade for one or more evaluation area determined at the full inspection based on evidence gathered during the monitoring inspection.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 27 January 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 56% 62% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 70% 72% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 70% 74% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2022/23 (final) 71% 60% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2022/23 (final) 57% 58% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2022/23 (final) 57% 59% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 4.7% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.1% 5.5% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 12.3% 13.3% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 12.9% 14.6% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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