Ackton Pastures Primary Academy

About Ackton Pastures Primary Academy

Ackton Pastures Primary Academy sits in the middle of the pack academically when compared with other primary schools in Wakefield. Its Key Stage 2 combined expected standard in reading, writing and maths sits at 58%, which is six percentage points below the local authority average of 64%. That places the school 64th out of 97 primaries in the borough, putting it in the bottom half of local schools. The gap is most noticeable at the higher end: only 2% of pupils reached the higher standard in all three subjects, and the school’s overall ranking score of 58 lands it in the bottom 50% nationally. However, the picture is more mixed when you look at individual subjects. Maths and reading average scores both come in at 103, and 73% of pupils met the expected standard in maths, which is a respectable showing. The school is also oversubscribed — 96 families applied for 45 places in 2025/26, with 49 putting it as their first choice — suggesting that local parents see something worth pursuing beyond the headline numbers.

Ofsted inspectors visited in March 2023 and rated the school Good across every category: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This is a consistent improvement from the previous inspection in 2016, which also rated the school Good overall but gave early years a lower grade of 2 (Requires Improvement). The current early years provision is now rated Good, so that area has clearly been addressed. The school has 352 pupils on roll, which is 23 above its stated capacity of 329, so it is running full. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 18.8%, which is broadly in line with national averages for a primary in a mixed catchment. The school does not have a sixth form, as you would expect for a primary, but it does offer nursery provision for children from age three.

The school’s facilities include an ICT suite, art studios, a sensory room, a sports hall and a chapel, which is an unusual addition for a non-religious school. Sports on offer include dance, athletics, swimming, netball, gymnastics, cricket and rounders, and there is a decent range of clubs such as choir, chess, eco club, film club and book club. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists SEND provisions covering moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health, speech, language and communication, hearing impairment, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. Given the oversubscription, families living closer to the school will have a stronger chance of securing a place. This is a solid, well-regarded local primary that performs around the middle of the Wakefield pack but offers good pastoral support and a broad range of activities.

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