Classpot

Outwood Academy Hemsworth

Wakefield, WF9 4ABSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
5 Good
Mar 2025
Progress 8
-0.07
Below average
−20+2
Competition
0.8×
Not oversubscribed
147 1st-choice / 191 places
Ranking
#1,686
of 3,141 nationally

About Outwood Academy Hemsworth

Outwood Academy Hemsworth is a mixed secondary school in Wakefield that currently has 1,108 pupils on its roll against a capacity of 1,632, meaning it is operating well below its physical limit. However, the school is clearly in demand: for the 2025/26 admissions round, it received 254 applications for 191 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.33, and made 147 offers to first-preference families. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 40.5%, which is significantly above the national average and signals a catchment with higher-than-average levels of disadvantage. The school has no religious character and is led by headteacher James Pape. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, carried out in March 2025, rated the school Good across all individual categories — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision — a notable improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in October 2022.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterNone
AddressWakefield Road, Pontefract, Wakefield, WF9 4AB
HeadteacherJames Pape
Local AuthorityWakefield
Number of Pupils1,108
Free School Meals (FSM)40.5%
School Capacity1,108 / 1,632 (68% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

What 138 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

4 Mar 2025
View Report
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form Provision
Good

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.

Source: Ofsted, 29 Apr 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

7
Sports HallAstro TurfGymnasiumArt StudiosSwimming PoolTennis CourtsSixth Form Centre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

14

Sports

RugbyNetballBasketballSwimmingGymnasticsTennisRowing

Clubs & Activities

DebateEco ClubArt ClubOrchestraChoirBook ClubModel United Nations

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:50 – 14:45

Source: hemsworth.outwood.com. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Outwood Academy Hemsworth

Outwood Academy Hemsworth has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.