Brighouse High School is a mainstream secondary school in Brighouse, Calderdale, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. In January 2026, 168 of its 1,317 pupils (12.8%) were getting SEN support and 65 (4.9%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–18
- 1,317 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Calderdale.
12.8% get SEN support
168 of 1,317 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
4.9% have an EHC plan
65 of 1,317 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Higher than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health88
- Moderate learning difficulty62
- Autism50
- Speech, language and communication10
- Physical disability9
- Visual impairment5
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Academy
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,317 (places for 1,430)
- Headteacher
- Mr Richard Horsfield
- Part of
- Brighouse High School Academy Trust
- Free school meals
- 23.4% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Calderdale
- School reference (URN)
- 136604
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Calderdale council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Report card, March 2026: Expected standard in 4 of 7 areas
Inspected in March 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
- AchievementNeeds attention
- Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
- Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
- Post-16Expected standard
- Leadership and governanceNeeds attention
- SafeguardingMet
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, February 2022).
Contact and getting there
Finkil Street, Brighouse, HD6 2NY
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Cliffe Hill Community Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.7 miles
- The William Henry Smith School and Sixth Form Special school · Ages 5–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 1.4 miles
- Highbury School Special school · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Outstanding 1.7 miles
- Appleton Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 3–16 · Ofsted report card (2026) 2.3 miles
Other mainstream schools
- St Joseph's Catholic Primary Academy, Brighouse Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 11.2%, EHC plans 4.1% 0.1 miles
- Trinity Academy St Chad's Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 9.1%, EHC plans 1.7% 0.2 miles
- St Andrew's Church of England (VA) Infant School Primary · Ages 5–7 · SEN support 21.8%, EHC plans 7.7% 0.5 miles
All mainstream schools in Calderdale SEND schools in Calderdale
Questions about Brighouse High School
How many pupils at Brighouse High School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 168 of the 1,317 pupils (12.8%) were getting SEN support and 65 (4.9%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Brighouse High School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (88 pupils), moderate learning difficulties (62 pupils) and autism (50 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Brighouse High School?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at Brighouse High School?
Through Calderdale council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to Brighouse High School?
You can ask for Brighouse High School to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does Brighouse High School have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Cliffe Hill Community Primary School, about 0.7 miles away.
Where is Brighouse High School?
Finkil Street, Brighouse, HD6 2NY, in Calderdale.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.