Trinity Academy Cathedral

About Trinity Academy Cathedral

Parents considering Trinity Academy Cathedral will find a school that clearly commands strong local confidence. In the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 589 applications for 198 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of nearly three to one. Of those applicants, 304 put it as their first preference, and 191 first-preference offers were made. That level of demand is a practical signal that families in the Wakefield area rate the school highly. The school is a Church of England secondary for pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form, and is led by headteacher Anna Gillinder. It is one of only two schools in the local authority to hold an Outstanding rating from Ofsted, a status it earned in its most recent graded inspection in 2022. That inspection awarded top marks across every category: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. It is a significant turnaround from the school's previous inspection in 2016, when it was rated Requires Improvement.

Academically, Trinity Academy Cathedral is performing well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.34 is classified as 'Above average' nationally, meaning pupils here make around a third of a grade more progress per subject than pupils with similar starting points across England. That score places the school second out of 18 secondary schools in the Wakefield local authority, and in the top 25 per cent of schools nationally. The local authority average Progress 8 score is zero, so the gap is clear. Attainment 8 sits at 47, and 67.5 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, compared with 46.2 per cent at the stronger grade 5 threshold. The school's EBacc average point score is 4.2, with 48.7 per cent of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects. Progress in open subjects is notably strong at 0.48, while maths progress is 0.17 and English progress is 0.28.

The school is well equipped, with facilities including a theatre, chapel, swimming pool, astro turf, science labs, music rooms, and art studios. There is a wide range of clubs and sports on offer, from netball and gymnastics to coding, Model UN, and the school newspaper. For families with children who have special educational needs, the school lists provisions for a broad spectrum of needs, including dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. With 41.4 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake. It is oversubscribed, so families will need to apply early and be aware of the admissions criteria. This is a school that suits families looking for a high-performing, inclusive secondary with strong academic progress and a clear Christian character, though it does not offer post-16 education on site.

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