St Botolphs CE Academy
86%
Capacity
304
Pupils
2.1x
Demand
About St Botolphs CE Academy
St Botolphs CE Academy in Wakefield stands out for its strong academic performance, with 75% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2 in the 2023/24 academic year. That is well above the local authority average of 64% for primary schools, placing the school in the top 25% nationally and 22nd out of 97 primaries in Wakefield. The school also outperforms the LA average on individual subjects: 86% of pupils met the expected standard in maths, 84% in reading and 84% in writing. At the higher standard, 25% of pupils achieved above expectations in maths, 20% in reading and 9% in writing, while 5% reached the higher benchmark across all three subjects. Average scaled scores of 105 in both reading and maths are solid, though progress measures are not available in the data.
The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2024 saw it upgraded from Requires Improvement to Good overall, with the early years provision rated Outstanding. Behaviour and attitudes, personal development, quality of education and leadership and management all received Good ratings. This marks a significant turnaround from the previous inspection in July 2022, where the school was judged Requires Improvement across all areas. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 91% of the 32 respondents would recommend the school, and 88% strongly agreed or agreed that their child is happy. Strong majorities also felt their child does well (90%) and that the school has high expectations (82%). The school has a Church of England character and headteacher Stephanie Golding leads a roll of 304 pupils, with 29% eligible for free school meals.
St Botolphs is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 62 applications for 29 places, with 33 first-preference applications and 27 first-preference offers. The school offers a nursery provision for children aged three and above. Facilities include a forest school, chapel, library, music rooms and an outdoor playground. Sports on offer include football, cricket, swimming, athletics, rounders and tennis, while clubs range from coding and book club to gardening, film club and choir. The school supports a wide range of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, social emotional and mental health difficulties, and physical disabilities. For families seeking a Church of England primary with strong academic outcomes and a clear recent improvement trajectory, St Botolphs is a compelling option in Wakefield.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 3 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Primrose Vale, Knottingley, Wakefield, WF11 9BT |
| Headteacher | Stephanie Golding |
| Local Authority | Wakefield |
| Number of Pupils | 304 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 29.0% |
| School Capacity | 304 / 354 (86% full) |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
1 Oct 2024Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 14 Nov 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (75%)
2679th of 13,686
Nationally
255th of 1,506
In Yorkshire and the Humber
22nd of 97
In Wakefield
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
75%
Expected Standard
5%
Higher Standard
'22/23
67%
'23/24
75%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
Ofsted Parent View
32 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
6Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
11Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed29
62
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
33 families put this school as their 1st choice (53% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
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 British91.8%
- White (other)1.6%
- Mixed1.3%
- Asian0.9%
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
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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.
4
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
3
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About St Botolphs CE Academy
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Primrose Vale, Knottingley
Wakefield, WF11 9BT
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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