SchoolFacts.uk

School admissions in Pontefract

How heavily each school was applied to for September 2026 entry, from the applications and offers every admissions authority reports to the DfE. 11 of these schools also have a published admissions cutoff distance. Sorted by first preferences per place. We don't invent rankings: the order is arithmetic on a published figure, not a view about which school is better.

Pontefract in figures

For Reception places in September 2026, families named the 34 schools in Pontefract first 1,051 times for 1,048 places: 1.00 first choices per place. 8 of the 34 had more first choices than places. For 2026 entry, 8 schools here gave their last places on distance, from 0.26 miles (Grove Lea Primary School) to 2.30 miles (Ark De Lacy Primary School).

For Year 7 places in September 2026, families named the 6 schools in Pontefract first 1,253 times for 1,262 places: 0.99 first choices per place. One of the 6 had more first choices than places. For 2026 entry, 2 schools here gave their last places on distance, from 1.97 miles (Ark Carleton High School) to 3.29 miles (Ark The King's School).

Totals for the schools listed on this page. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE; last-offer distances as the council published them.

Reception places, September 2026

34 schools. 8 received more first preferences than they had places.

SchoolFirst preferences per placePlacesCutoff distance
Grove Lea Primary SchoolPontefract1.27300.262 miles 2026
Ark Orchard Head Primary SchoolPontefract1.2245not published
Darrington Church of England Primary SchoolPontefract1.20151.606 miles 2026
Ark Carleton Park Primary SchoolPontefract1.13301.421 miles 2026
Featherstone All Saints CofE AcademyPontefract1.10301.42 miles 2026
South Elmsall Carlton Junior and Infant SchoolPontefract1.07600.795 miles 2026
Fitzwilliam Primary SchoolPontefract1.03300.68 miles 2026
Ark Northfield Primary SchoolPontefract1.02450.647 miles 2026
Ark De Lacy Primary SchoolPontefract1.00442.302 miles 2026
Ark Larks Hill Primary SchoolPontefract1.0029not published
Badsworth Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior and Infant SchoolPontefract1.0022not published
Outwood Primary Academy Bell LanePontefract1.0033not published
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School PontefractPontefract1.0021not published
Streethouse Junior, Infant and Nursery SchoolPontefract1.0011not published
Upton Primary SchoolPontefract1.0048not published
Featherstone Purston Infant SchoolPontefract0.9856not published
South Kirkby Common Road Infant and Nursery SchoolPontefract0.9848not published
St Giles C of E AcademyPontefract0.9842not published
Ackworth Howard Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior and Infant SchoolPontefract0.9729not published
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, MoorthorpePontefract0.9626not published
Ackworth Mill Dam SchoolPontefract0.9624not published
St Helen's CE Primary SchoolPontefract0.9624not published
Ash Grove Primary AcademyPONTEFRACT0.9623not published
Cherry Tree AcademyPontefract0.9623not published
Featherstone Girnhill Infant SchoolPontefract0.9623not published
Holy Family and St Michael's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary AcademyPontefract0.9521not published
Featherstone North Featherstone Junior and Infant SchoolPontefract0.9541not published
West End AcademyPontefract0.9520not published
Ark The Rookeries Carleton Primary SchoolPontefract0.9432not published
King's Meadow AcademyPontefract0.9133not published
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary SchoolPontefract0.9010not published
Ark Halfpenny Lane Primary SchoolPontefract0.8849not published
Moorthorpe Primary School With Inclusion ResourcePontefract0.8520not published
Kirk Smeaton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolPontefract0.8211not published

First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.

Year 7 places, September 2026

6 schools. 1 received more first preferences than they had places.

SchoolFirst preferences per placePlacesCutoff distance
Ark Carleton High SchoolPontefract1.261991.971 miles 2026
The Featherstone AcademyPontefract0.9898not published
St Wilfrid's Catholic High School & Sixth Form College: A Voluntary AcademyPontefract0.97272not published
Minsthorpe Community CollegePontefract0.96279not published
Ark The King's SchoolPontefract0.912073.287 miles 2026
Outwood Academy HemsworthPontefract0.90207not published

First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.