King James's School

  • Secondary
  • Academy
  • Ages 11 to 16
Ofsted: Good

St Helen's Gate, Almondbury, Huddersfield, HD4 6SGOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

King James's School is a secondary school in Huddersfield for ages 11 to 16. It is one of the 199 schools in Kirklees. It ranks 4th of 10 secondary schools in Huddersfield. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in November 2019.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 5 November 2019, report published 2 December 2019

Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 February 2025

Pupils say that they are happy at this school. They have a trusted adult they can seek help and advice from. Pupils are confident that they will receive the support that they need. Relationships between pupils and staff are positive. Pupils welcome visitors and they are articulate, polite and happy to chat. The school has high expectations for what pupils can achieve. This includes for their behaviour, attendance and academic outcomes. These expectations are realised. Pupils are clear about the school's behaviour policy and see it as fair. Pupils behave well around school and in lessons. Lessons are calm and purposeful. Pupils say that teachers make lessons engaging. Pupils value the rewards system and enjoy receiving 'ACE' vouchers for their efforts. Pupils also enjoy attending extra-curricular activities that help them to develop their talents and interests. There is a zero-tolerance approach to bullying at this school. Pupils say that friends look after each other and difference is accepted. When bullying does occur, pupils are confident to report it and say that staff do something about it. They say that if it does not stop immediately, staff will continue to tackle it until it does stop.

What the school should improve

  • Some pupils struggle to explain how the 'golden knowledge' links to previous learning. This means that they do not make sufficient connections across their learning and cannot link concepts together well enough. Leaders should ensure that staff explicitly teach pupils how the 'golden knowledge' builds on what they have learned before, so that pupils' knowledge builds progressively over time.
  • The school has not yet consistently evaluated the impact of new strategies and initiatives. This means it is unclear whether they are having a positive impact on pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged. Leaders should ensure that these strategies are firmly embedded and evaluated for impact, so that all pupils achieve and attend well.

Exam results

GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25

210 pupils in the year group

Attainment 8 score48.5

48.5, 2.4 above the England average of 46.1.

Grade 5 or above in English and maths47.1%

47.1%, 1.7 percentage points above the England average of 45.4%.

Grade 4 or above in English and maths69%

69%, 4.2 percentage points above the England average of 64.8%.

Pupils entering the EBacc50.5%

50.5%, 10 percentage points above the England average of 40.5%.

EBacc average point score4.57

4.57, 0.48 above the England average of 4.09.

Pupil numbers and mix

1,055 pupils on roll, with places for 1,050

Eligible for free school meals29%

29%, 2.5 percentage points above the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language8.4%

8.4%, 13.2 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support13.7%

13.7%, 1.1 percentage points below the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan2.2%

2.2%, 3.8 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near King James's School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Netherhall Learning Campus High School2 milesOfsted: Requires improvementAttainment 8: 41.0
Newsome Academy2 milesOfsted: GoodAttainment 8: 44.1
Honley High School2 milesOfsted: GoodAttainment 8: 50.6
ES Independent School Kirklees2 milesOfsted: GoodNot published
North Huddersfield Trust School3 milesOfsted: GoodAttainment 8: 35.7

School details

School type
Academy converter
Sector
Academy
Trust
KING JAMES'S SCHOOL
Age range
11 to 16
Gender
Mixed
Sixth form
No
Headteacher
Mr Ben Streets
Address
St Helen's Gate, Almondbury, Huddersfield, HD4 6SG
Local authority
Kirklees
URN
138706

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.