St Thomas à Becket Catholic Secondary School, A Voluntary Academy
Wakefield, WF2 6EQ · Wakefield · secondary school
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5th of 18 secondary schools in Wakefield we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 8.1/10 against 824 of them, against 6.8/10 nationally. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 51.4 · 66 | 30% | 1.97 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.29 · 72 | 25% | 1.80 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 49.1 · 66 | 10% | 0.66 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
St Thomas à Becket Catholic Secondary School, A Voluntary Academy overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 45.3% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 46.3, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.29 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did better than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (7.3 out of 10 against similar schools, 6.1 out of 10 against all schools). Ofsted rated the school Good in May 2023.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join an art club, dance, rugby, football, netball, trampolining, and badminton. An after-school club is also available.
Getting in
The published school roll is 762 pupils against a stated capacity of 750. 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
What support is available for pupils aiming to improve their Progress 8 scores? How accessible is the after-school club for families needing wraparound care?
What Ofsted said about St Thomas à Becket Catholic Secondary School, A Voluntary Academy
Overview
Leaders are described as ‘ambitious’ and caring, fostering a ‘warm and caring’ culture where pupils feel ‘nurtured’ and ‘loved’. The school provides a ‘coherent and well considered’ curriculum with high expectations for behaviour, resulting in pupils who are ‘extremely polite’ and behave well.
Strengths
- Pupils benefit from a ‘strong culture of safeguarding’ and feel ‘happy and safe’, with bullying being ‘rare’ and resolved ‘fairly and quickly’.
- The curriculum is ‘coherent and well considered’, with leaders defining ‘essential knowledge’ and the order in which it is taught.
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are ‘well supported’, including through a specific phonics programme and bespoke clubs.
- There are ‘strong, positive relationships between pupils and staff’, and pupils have a ‘voice in the school’ through surveys and leadership groups.
- Staff feel ‘well supported with their workload’ and are ‘very positive about the professional development and training they receive’.
Areas to improve
- In some subjects, ‘teaching activities are not chosen carefully enough’, meaning pupils do not have sufficient time to ‘practise new skills and secure their knowledge’.
- Leaders ‘do not analyse the impact of their actions carefully enough’, failing to evaluate how recent changes to the curriculum and behaviour policy affect specific groups of pupils.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are ‘effective’, with staff clear on reporting concerns and the team ‘tenacious in securing additional support’ for vulnerable pupils.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 46.5 |
| 2024/25 | 46.3 |
| 2025/26 | 49.1 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 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
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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