Academy sponsor led · Calderdale

Park Lane Academy

11–16Ages
481Pupils
SecondaryPhase
143115URN

Park Lane, Exley, Halifax, HX3 9LG · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Category of concern: Serious weaknesses

Graded inspection · May 2025 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.9per place

close to Calderdale median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in CalderdaleSelective

181 applications for 96 places · 8th of 13 in Calderdale

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

32.3of 90

Calderdale 48.1 England 46.0

13th of 13 in Calderdale

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Ofsted category of concern: Serious weaknesses

Graded inspection · 7 May 2025Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education			Inadequate
Behaviour and attitudes	Good
Personal development	Good
Leadership and management		Requires improvement

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.9applications per place, Year 7

close to Calderdale median (2.0) 0.3 below England median (2.2)

181 applications · 96 places offered · 78 named it first

2026 1.9; Calderdale median median 2.0
2025 1.7; Calderdale median median 2.0
2024 1.6; Calderdale median median 2.2
2023 1.3; Calderdale median median 2.2
2022 1.2; Calderdale median median 2.3
2021 1.1; Calderdale median median 2.4
2020 1.0; Calderdale median median 2.3
2019 0.6; Calderdale median median 2.2
2018 1.3; Calderdale median median 2.2; as the previous school
2017 1.3; Calderdale median median 2.4; as the previous school
2016 1.5; Calderdale median median 2.4; as the previous school
2015 1.6; Calderdale median median 2.4; as the previous school
2014 1.8; Calderdale median median 2.7; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Calderdale median in 0 of 8 years.

This school
Calderdale median

Dashed bars: as Park Lane Learning Trust (URN 107561), the previous school.

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	96	181	1.9	78	0.81
Sep 2025	94	163	1.7	80	0.85
Sep 2024	111	175	1.6	75	0.68
Sep 2023	111	146	1.3	70	0.63
Sep 2022	102	125	1.2	53	0.52
Sep 2021	112	128	1.1	51	0.46
Sep 2020	101	105	1.0	44	0.44
Sep 2019	120	77	0.6	31	0.26
Sep 2018 *	95	125	1.3	52	0.55
Sep 2017 *	123	161	1.3	72	0.59
Sep 2016 *	122	186	1.5	53	0.43
Sep 2015 *	104	167	1.6	54	0.52
Sep 2014 *	101	180	1.8	60	0.59

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

66 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)32.313th of 13 in Calderdale

Calderdale 48.1 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths18%13th of 13 in Calderdale

Calderdale 50% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths30%

Calderdale 71% England 66%

This school
Calderdale median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−1.10

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	66	32.3	18%	30%	–
2024/25	91	40.9	35%	56%	–
2023/24	62	32.9	15%	34%	−1.10
2022/23	91	30.1	15%	32%	−1.05

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Park Lane AcademyThis school
This school

Serious weaknesses Graded · no overall grade2025

1.9applications per place 32.3Attainment 8
The Brooksbank School
2.0 km · Calderdale

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.7applications per place 51.5Attainment 8
The Crossley Heath School
2.4 km · Calderdale

Good2023

3.7applications per place 73.2Attainment 8 Selective
Rastrick High School
3.7 km · Calderdale

Remains Good · improving2023

2.0applications per place 50.9Attainment 8
Brighouse High School
3.8 km · Calderdale

2026

2.3applications per place 43.4Attainment 8
The Halifax Academy
4.1 km · Calderdale

Good2023

1.3applications per place 39.6Attainment 8
Trinity Academy Grammar
4.3 km · Calderdale

Good2023

2.0applications per place 45.4Attainment 8
Lightcliffe Academy
4.7 km · Calderdale

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.0applications per place 37.3Attainment 8
Salendine Nook High School
5.1 km · Kirklees

Standards maintained2025

2.8applications per place 52.6Attainment 8

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 143115 · 381/4004
Trust: South Pennine Academies
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 600 pupils · 481 on roll
Free school meals: 57.4% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 October 2018
Replaced: Park Lane Learning Trust (URN 107561)
Address: Park Lane, Exley, Halifax, HX3 9LG
Local authority: Calderdale

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources