St Wilfrid's Catholic High School & Sixth Form College: A Voluntary Academy
82%
Capacity
1,481
Pupils
2.2x
Demand
About St Wilfrid's Catholic High School & Sixth Form College: A Voluntary Academy
St Wilfrid's Catholic High School & Sixth Form College sits almost exactly on the Wakefield local authority average for Progress 8, with a score of -0.01 against the LA average of 0. That places it tenth out of 18 secondary schools in the area, right in the middle of the pack. For a large Catholic comprehensive with 1,481 pupils, this is a solidly average performance — neither outperforming nor underperforming the typical Wakefield school. The school's Attainment 8 score of 47.7 and its EBacc average point score of 4.33 both suggest pupils leave with respectable GCSE results, though not exceptional ones. What is more telling is the school's popularity: it received 590 applications for 270 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, making it significantly oversubscribed with a ratio of 2.19 applicants per place. Only 256 of those were first-preference offers, meaning the school is clearly a first choice for many local families despite its middling headline metrics.
Looking more closely at the academic data, St Wilfrid's shows a mixed picture. At GCSE, 70.9 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, but that drops to 49.3 per cent at grade 5 or above — a substantial gap that suggests many pupils are scraping through at the lower pass threshold. The EBacc entry rate of 47.5 per cent is healthy, though only 32 per cent actually entered the full EBacc combination. In the sixth form, the school performs broadly in line with expectations: a value-added score of 0.03 is classed as average, and the average points per entry of 31.78 equates to a C+ grade. The best three A-levels average out at C+ as well, with 20.8 per cent of entries achieving AAB or higher. Ofsted last inspected in 2021 and judged the school to remain Good, with leadership and management also rated Good. The previous graded inspection in 2012 also awarded Good overall, so the school has maintained a consistent standard over time.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, tennis courts, and a chapel, which reflects its Catholic foundation. Sports provision covers netball, rowing, cricket, and football, while clubs range from coding and debate to gardening and film club. SEND support is comprehensive, with provisions for dyslexia, autism, speech and language needs, and hearing or visual impairments, plus a resourced provision. The sixth form centre is a dedicated space, and the school has an official sixth form. With 21.2 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals — above the national average — St Wilfrid's serves a diverse intake. It is a good fit for Catholic families in Wakefield who want a large, well-established secondary with decent but not outstanding results, strong facilities, and a clear oversubscription that signals local confidence.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Cutsyke Road, Pontefract, Wakefield, WF7 6BD |
| Headteacher | Philip Dore |
| Local Authority | Wakefield |
| Number of Pupils | 1,481 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 21.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,481 / 1,800 (82% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
18 Nov 2021Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (18 Nov 2021): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 23 Apr 2012. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.01)
1549th of 3,141
Nationally
137th of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
10th of 18
In Wakefield
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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
31.9
'22/23
28.6
'23/24
31.8
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
2022/2324%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 276 pupils).
- Sixth form college37%
- FE college28%
- School sixth form (stay)24%
- Employment4%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Not sustained3%
97% 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
2022/2366%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 70 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
17%
Russell Group
17%
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.
- University (HE)66%
- Employment23%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained4%
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- Biology17
- Mathematics17
- Psychology17
- Chemistry14
- Media/Film/Tv Studies14
- English Language11
- Sociology11
- History9
- Business Studies:Single8
- Geography8
- Religious Studies7
- Art and Design (Photography)6
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
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed270
590
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
256 families put this school as their 1st choice (43% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:50 – 15:10
Source: st-wilfrids.bkcat.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British74.1%
- White (other)10.9%
- Asian4.1%
- Mixed3.6%
- Black0.8%
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.
3
Total schools
3
Oversubscribed
2
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 St Wilfrid's Catholic High School & Sixth Form College: A Voluntary 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
Cutsyke Road, Pontefract
Wakefield, WF7 6BD
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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