Castleford Academy
98%
Capacity
1,477
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About Castleford Academy
Castleford Academy is a large secondary school in Wakefield, running close to full with 1,477 pupils against a capacity of 1,500. Its intake reflects a higher-than-average level of disadvantage: 27.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared with a national secondary average of around 23-24%. The school is clearly in demand. For the 2025/26 admissions cycle, it received 476 applications for 279 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.71, and 316 of those applications were first-preference choices. Of the 279 places available, 278 went to first-preference applicants, suggesting that for most families who put it top of their list, it worked out. The school is non-denominational and mixed, taking pupils from age 11 to 16, with no sixth form on site.
Academically, Castleford Academy is the top-performing school in the Wakefield local authority for Progress 8, ranking 1st out of 18 schools. Its Progress 8 score of +0.41 is well above the local authority average of 0, and places it in the top 25% nationally. Pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 48.6, and 67.4% secured a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The school’s EBacc average point score was 4.16, with 21.6% of pupils entering the EBacc combination. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2025, the school was rated Good overall, with an Outstanding grade for personal development. This is a step down from its previous Outstanding rating in 2019, but behaviour and attitudes, leadership, and quality of education were all judged Good, while personal development remained Outstanding.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a theatre, sports hall, astro turf, tennis courts, and music rooms, plus clubs like the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model UN, and coding. Sports on offer include swimming, martial arts, and rugby. For SEND, the school has a resourced provision and supports a wide range of needs, from dyslexia and autism to speech and language difficulties and physical disabilities. Parent View responses from 150 parents show strong satisfaction: 73% would recommend the school, and 90% agreed or strongly agreed that the school has high expectations for their child. However, concerns handling was a more mixed area, with 39% disagreeing that concerns are dealt with properly. This is a school that suits families prioritising strong academic progress and personal development in a well-subscribed, non-selective setting.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Ferrybridge Road, Castleford, Wakefield, WF10 4JQ |
| Headteacher | Wesley Bush |
| Local Authority | Wakefield |
| Number of Pupils | 1,477 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 27.6% |
| School Capacity | 1,477 / 1,500 (98% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
28 Jan 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Source: Ofsted, 18 Mar 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.41)
635th of 3,141
Nationally
53rd of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
1st of 18
In Wakefield
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/232%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 265 pupils).
- Sixth form college41%
- FE college35%
- Employment9%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship5%
- School sixth form (stay)2%
91% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2329%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 17 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
0%
Russell Group
0%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- Employment41%
- University (HE)29%
- Not sustained18%
- Further education6%
- Apprenticeship6%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Ofsted Parent View
150 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed279
476
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
316 families put this school as their 1st choice (66% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British88.8%
- Mixed3.4%
- White (other)3.4%
- Asian2.2%
- Black0.1%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
7
Total schools
5
Oversubscribed
6
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Castleford Academy
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Ferrybridge Road, Castleford
Wakefield, WF10 4JQ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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