St Michael's CofE Academy

About St Michael's CofE Academy

If you're a parent in Wakefield weighing up primary options, the numbers at St Michael's CofE Academy tell a clear story about demand. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 119 applications for 57 places, making it oversubscribed with a ratio of 2.09 applicants per spot. Of those, 51 families put it down as their first preference, and all 51 were offered a place. That level of competition suggests a school that local parents trust. The school is a Church of England primary for children aged 2 to 11, with a current roll of 479 pupils against a capacity of 522. Headteacher Yvette Sullivan leads a mixed-gender state school that also offers nursery provision. With 38.8 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with above-average disadvantage, yet it remains a popular choice.

Academically, St Michael's performs well above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 80 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared to the Wakefield local authority average of 64 per cent. That places the school 14th out of 97 primaries in the LA, comfortably in the top 25 per cent nationally. Pupils also achieved strong average scores of 106 in maths and 105 in reading. At the higher standard, 30 per cent hit the higher benchmark in maths, 23 per cent in reading and 10 per cent in writing. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2024, the school was rated Good overall, with an Outstanding rating for early years provision. Behaviour, personal development, leadership and the quality of education all scored Good. The previous inspection in 2016 also rated the school Good, so the standard has been consistently solid.

The school offers a practical range of facilities including playing fields, a sports hall, gymnasium, library, ICT suite, music rooms and a chapel. Sports on offer include football, athletics, dance, netball and rounders, while clubs cover science, book club, eco club, drama, choir and chess. For families with children who have additional needs, St Michael's has a broad SEND offer, with provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing impairment, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Jerry Clay Academy, 2.2 km away. Given its oversubscription, strong KS2 outcomes and wide SEND support, St Michael's is a realistic choice for families who want a well-regarded Church of England primary with good results and a genuinely inclusive approach.

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