Alverthorpe St Paul's CofE (VA) School 3-11yrs

About Alverthorpe St Paul's CofE (VA) School 3-11yrs

Alverthorpe St Paul's CofE (VA) School is a Church of England primary in Wakefield that is currently educating 269 pupils, a figure that sits 29 above its official capacity of 240. This oversubscription is reflected in the school's admission data for the 2025/26 intake: 94 families applied for just 36 places, with 38 of those listing it as their first preference and 31 receiving an offer. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 17.7 per cent, which is above the national average for primary schools and suggests the school serves a community with above-average levels of economic disadvantage. The school's religious character as a voluntary-aided Church of England school may be a factor in its popularity, though the data does not specify any faith-based admissions criteria. The headteacher is Lyndsay Ranby, who leads a mixed-gender school for children aged 3 to 11, with nursery provision available on site.

Academically, the school's most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2022 rated it Good across all five categories, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This represents a significant improvement from its previous inspection in November 2018, when the school was rated Requires Improvement overall, with leadership and management also at that lower grade. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 47 per cent of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the Wakefield local authority average of 64 per cent. Individual subject scores show reading and maths both averaging 103, with 67 per cent reaching the expected standard in maths and writing, and 61 per cent in reading. The school ranks 82nd out of 97 primary schools in Wakefield on this combined measure, placing it in the bottom half nationally.

The school offers a range of facilities including a sensory room, sports hall, music rooms, outdoor playground and a chapel, alongside clubs such as drama, chess, book club, science club, eco club and choir. Sports provision covers football, athletics, cricket and cross country. For children with additional needs, the school lists seven categories of SEND provision, including support for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing impairment, multi-sensory impairment and physical disability. The school is heavily oversubscribed, with a ratio of 2.61 applications per place, so families considering it should be prepared for a competitive admissions process. It may particularly suit families who value a Church of England ethos and are looking for a school that has demonstrably improved its Ofsted rating in recent years, though the academic outcomes are below the local average.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Alverthorpe St Paul's CofE (VA) School 3-11yrs

Helpful Guides for Parents