Half Acres Primary Academy
Castleford, WF10 5RE · Wakefield · primary school
Check the area around this school
56th of 98 primary schools in Wakefield we can score, 113 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 4.6/10 against 3,328 of them, against 4.5/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expected standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 65.0 · 52 | 62% | 3.18 |
| Higher standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 4.0 · 35 | 38% | 1.36 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Half Acres Primary Academy overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 65.0% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, compared to the national median of 64%. The higher standard was reached by 4.0% of pupils, against a national median of 7%. Its position is much the same whether compared with all schools or only those whose pupils have similar backgrounds (4.6 out of 10 against similar schools, 4.5 out of 10 against all schools).
Getting in
The published school roll is 424 pupils against a stated capacity of 450. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
With 26 places currently available, how does the school manage entry-year applications if demand exceeds capacity? How does the school support pupils who are working towards the higher standard in core subjects? What specific support is available for pupils who have not yet met the expected standard in reading, writing, or maths?
What Ofsted said about Half Acres Primary Academy
Overview
Half Acres Primary Academy is described as a ‘giving school’ where pupils value the wide range of opportunities provided and take pride in contributing to the community. The report highlights a culture of warmth, support, and high expectations, with pupils demonstrating exemplary behaviour and positive relationships with adults and peers.
Strengths
- Pupils exhibit ‘exemplary’ behaviour and actively support each other to meet the school’s high expectations.
- The curriculum is ‘well-sequenced’, helping pupils learn complex ideas over time, with effective support for those needing extra help in phonics and reading.
- Staff provide clear modelling and support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), ensuring they access the ‘ambitious curriculum’.
- Early years provision offers a ‘very positive start’, with carefully designed activities developing key motor and cognitive skills.
- The school fosters independence and empathy through initiatives like the ‘Pupil Promise’ and peer support roles.
Areas to improve
- Lesson tasks sometimes fail to help pupils ‘embed and apply the key learning’, meaning some do not secure knowledge as deeply as they could.
- The school should ensure adults provide tasks that help pupils ‘further secure and deepen their learning’ from the ambitious curriculum.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Results over time
Expected standard (reading, writing, maths), the years we hold.
| Year | Expected standard (reading, writing, maths) |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 48% |
| 2023/24 | 66% |
| 2024/25 | 65% |
| England | 64% |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 14,326 state schools in England we hold a 2024/25 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2027
- Primary National Offer Day16 Apr 2027
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2028
- Primary National Offer Day17 Apr 2028
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