Ossett Academy and Sixth Form College
86%
Capacity
1,728
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About Ossett Academy and Sixth Form College
Ossett Academy and Sixth Form College holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained since at least its previous inspection in 2013. The most recent full inspection, in November 2022, awarded Good across the board for quality of education, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. However, behaviour and attitudes were judged as Requires Improvement, a notable shift from the previous inspection where this area was not separately graded. On academic outcomes, the school’s Progress 8 score of +0.24 is the standout metric: it means pupils achieve nearly a quarter of a grade more per subject than the national average. This places Ossett fifth out of 18 secondary schools in Wakefield, comfortably in the top third locally, and ranks it in the top 30% nationally. The school’s Attainment 8 score of 52.1 further underlines solid results, with 80.1% of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths.
Digging deeper into the exam data, Ossett’s Progress 8 score is driven by strong performance in open subjects (+0.49) and maths (+0.26), while the EBacc element is flat at -0.03. Only 27.5% of pupils entered the EBacc suite, and 19.6% achieved it at grade 4 or above, which is below the national average. At A-level, the picture is more mixed: the sixth form’s value-added score of -0.25 is classed as below average, meaning students typically leave with slightly lower grades than their prior attainment would predict. The average points per entry of 30.38 equates to a grade C, and the best three A-levels average out at C+. With 90 pupils in the cohort, the sixth form is sizeable but not the school’s strongest suit. Compared to the Wakefield local authority average Progress 8 of 0, Ossett’s +0.24 is a clear positive, though it trails top local performers like Castleford Academy (+0.41) and Trinity Academy Cathedral (+0.34).
Ossett is a large secondary, with 1,728 pupils on roll against a capacity of 2,000, and it is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 486 applications for 293 places, with 241 first-preference offers made. The school caters for a diverse range of needs, with SEND provisions covering everything from dyslexia and autistic spectrum disorder to physical disabilities and multi-sensory impairment. Facilities include a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, science labs, and a dedicated sixth form centre, with clubs ranging from Eco Club and Gardening to Model UN and DofE. Sports on offer include netball, rugby, cricket, and swimming. For families prioritising strong GCSE progress in a large, well-resourced setting, Ossett delivers; those focused on sixth-form outcomes or seeking a school with outstanding behaviour ratings may want to look at nearby Trinity Academy Cathedral, 4.1 km away, which holds an Outstanding Ofsted grade.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Storrs Hill Road, Ossett, Wakefield, WF5 0DG |
| Headteacher | Nicola Walker |
| Local Authority | Wakefield |
| Number of Pupils | 1,728 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 19.8% |
| School Capacity | 1,728 / 2,000 (86% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
15 Nov 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 19 Feb 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.24)
970th of 3,141
Nationally
83rd of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
5th 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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
37.9
'22/23
34.3
'23/24
30.4
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2334%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 289 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)34%
- FE college29%
- Sixth form college17%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Employment7%
- Not sustained6%
94% 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
2022/2350%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 119 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
20%
Russell Group
22%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)50%
- Employment32%
- Apprenticeship10%
- Not sustained5%
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.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology28
- Business Studies:Single16
- English Language15
- Geography15
- Media/Film/Tv Studies12
- English Literature11
- Mathematics10
- Economics9
- History9
- Art and Design (Fine Art)8
- Art and Design (Photography)8
- Biology7
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed293
486
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
241 families put this school as their 1st choice (50% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British85.0%
- Mixed3.5%
- Asian2.3%
- White (other)1.9%
- 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.
9
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
8
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 Ossett Academy and Sixth Form College
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
Storrs Hill Road, Ossett
Wakefield, WF5 0DG
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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