[1] The school houses the specialist autism provision for young people with ASD from the South Kirklees area.

Sir James Hinchliffe LL.D, chairman of the West Riding County Council, officially opened the school at a ceremony held on Saturday, 29 April 1933, at which the Bishop of Wakefield, Dr J Buchanan Seaton, offered a prayer of dedication.

In the jubilee year of 1982, the school had a teaching staff of 82 and a pupil population of approximately 1,300.

In February 2000, Honley High featured in a list of only 29 schools that Ofsted announced had "excellent" improvement since the first round of inspections.

[2] The 2005 Ofsted report described the school as 'good', complimenting its headteacher, pupils, teaching and value for money, with reservations over the I.T.