SchoolFacts.uk

School admissions in Wakefield

How heavily each school was applied to for September 2026 entry, from the applications and offers every admissions authority reports to the DfE. 36 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.

Reception places, September 2026

104 schools. 22 received more first preferences than they had places.

SchoolFirst preferences per placePlacesCutoff distance
Jerry Clay AcademyWakefield2.15270.512 miles 2026
Ackton Pastures Primary AcademyCastleford1.7043not published
West Bretton Junior and Infant SchoolWakefield1.50142.402 miles 2026
Sandal Magna Community AcademyWakefield1.4730not published
Stanley Grove Primary and Nursery AcademyWakefield1.3330not published
Crigglestone Dane Royd Junior and Infant SchoolWakefield1.30440.913 miles 2026
Outwood Primary Academy GreenhillWakefield1.2829not published
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
Normanton Common Primary AcademyNormanton1.11451.014 miles 2026
Featherstone All Saints CofE AcademyPontefract1.10301.42 miles 2026
Horbury Primary AcademyWakefield1.10601.532 miles 2026
Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolWakefield1.1030not published
Outwood Primary Academy KirkhamgateWakefield1.07281.471 miles 2026
Shay Lane Primary (J and I) SchoolWakefield1.07301.064 miles 2026
South Elmsall Carlton Junior and Infant SchoolPontefract1.07600.795 miles 2026
Wakefield Pinders Primary (JIN) SchoolWakefield1.04450.844 miles 2026
Fitzwilliam Primary SchoolPontefract1.03300.68 miles 2026
Ark Northfield Primary SchoolPontefract1.02450.647 miles 2026
Smawthorne Henry Moore AcademyCastleford1.02570.975 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
Dimple Well Infant School and NurseryOssett1.0043not published
England Lane AcademyKnottingley1.0021not published
Gawthorpe Community AcademyOssett1.0030not published
Martin Frobisher Infant SchoolNormanton1.0044not published
Ossett Flushdyke Junior and Infant SchoolOssett1.0011not published
Outwood Primary Academy Bell LanePontefract1.0033not published
Outwood Primary Academy Newstead GreenWakefield1.0019not published
Oyster Park Primary AcademyCastleford1.0026not published
Sharlston Community SchoolWakefield1.0029not published
Simpson's Lane AcademyKnottingley1.0041not published
South Ossett Infant AcademyOssett1.0019not published
St Botolphs CE AcademyKnottingley1.00301.332 miles 2026
St Ignatius Catholic Primary SchoolWakefield1.009not published
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School PontefractPontefract1.0021not published
St. John the Baptist Catholic Primary SchoolNormanton1.0027not published
Streethouse Junior, Infant and Nursery SchoolPontefract1.0011not published
Towngate Primary AcademyOssett1.0041not published
Townville AcademyCastleford1.0020not published
Upton Primary SchoolPontefract1.0048not published
Wakefield St Johns Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior and Infant SchoolWakefield1.0029not published
Walton Primary AcademyWakefield1.00451.517 miles 2026
Fairburn View Primary School, CastlefordCastleford0.9858not published
St Michael's CofE AcademyWakefield0.9857not published
Featherstone Purston Infant SchoolPontefract0.9856not published
South Kirkby Common Road Infant and Nursery SchoolPontefract0.9848not published
Crofton Infant SchoolWakefield0.9847not published
Ossett South Parade PrimaryWakefield0.9847not published
Wakefield Snapethorpe Primary SchoolWakefield0.9846not published
Wakefield Lawefield Primary SchoolWakefield0.9845not published
Wakefield Flanshaw Junior and Infant SchoolWakefield0.9844not published
Ossett Holy Trinity CofE VA Primary SchoolOssett0.9842not published
St Giles C of E AcademyPontefract0.9842not published
Airedale Infant AcademyCastleford0.9739not published
Ackworth Howard Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior and Infant SchoolPontefract0.9729not published
Alverthorpe St Paul's CofE (VA) School 3-11yrsWakefield0.9729not published
The Vale Primary AcademyKnottingley0.9627not published
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, MoorthorpePontefract0.9626not published
Ryhill Junior, Infant and Nursery SchoolWakefield0.9625not published
Sitlington Netherton Junior and Infant SchoolWakefield0.9625not published
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School CastlefordCastleford0.9625not published
Ackworth Mill Dam SchoolPontefract0.9624not published
Crigglestone Mackie Hill Junior and Infant SchoolWakefield0.9624not published
English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary AcademyWakefield0.9624not 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
Normanton All Saints CofE Infant SchoolNormanton0.9668not published
Rooks Nest AcademyWakefield0.9543not published
Holy Family and St Michael's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary AcademyPontefract0.9521not published
Featherstone North Featherstone Junior and Infant SchoolPontefract0.9541not published
Glasshoughton Infant AcademyCastleford0.95601.394 miles 2026
West End AcademyPontefract0.9520not published
Outwood Primary Academy Lofthouse GateWakefield0.9539not published
Ark The Rookeries Carleton Primary SchoolPontefract0.9432not published
Lee Brigg Infant and Nursery SchoolNormanton0.9345not published
Newlands Primary SchoolNormanton0.9330not published
Willow Green AcademyKnottingley0.9327not published
The Mount Junior Infant & Nursery SchoolWakefield0.9224not published
Outwood Primary Academy Ledger LaneWakefield0.92592.597 miles 2026
Castleford Wheldon Infant School and NurseryCastleford0.9133not published
King's Meadow AcademyPontefract0.9133not published
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary SchoolPontefract0.9010not published
St Austin's Catholic Primary SchoolWakefield0.9040not published
South Hiendley Primary SchoolBarnsley0.8919not published
Hendal Primary SchoolWakefield0.8937not published
Crigglestone St James CofE Primary AcademyWakefield0.89451.891 miles 2026
Middlestown Primary AcademyWakefield0.8825not published
Ark Halfpenny Lane Primary SchoolPontefract0.8849not published
Horbury Bridge Church of England Junior and Infant AcademyWakefield0.8715not published
Newton Hill Community SchoolWakefield0.8644not published
Methodist Voluntary Controlled Junior, Infant and Nursery School: With Communication ResourceWakefield0.8629not published
Outwood Primary Academy Park HillWakefield0.8555not published
Moorthorpe Primary School With Inclusion ResourcePontefract0.8520not published
Half Acres Primary AcademyCastleford0.8257not published
Stanley St Peters Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolWakefield0.8234not published
Sandal Castle VA Community Primary SchoolWakefield0.8168not published
Castleford Three Lane Ends AcademyCastleford0.7645not published
Wrenthorpe AcademyWakefield0.7142not 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

18 schools. 5 received more first preferences than they had places.

SchoolFirst preferences per placePlacesCutoff distance
Trinity Academy CathedralWakefield1.59196not published
St Thomas à Becket Catholic Secondary School, A Voluntary AcademyWakefield1.471373.226 miles 2026
Ark Carleton High SchoolPontefract1.261991.971 miles 2026
Horbury AcademyWakefield1.181980.88 miles 2026
Castleford AcademyCastleford1.042800.843 miles 2026
Crofton AcademyWakefield1.002023.378 miles 2026
The Featherstone AcademyPontefract0.9898not published
Outwood Academy FreestonNormanton0.97175not published
St Wilfrid's Catholic High School & Sixth Form College: A Voluntary AcademyPontefract0.97272not published
Minsthorpe Community CollegePontefract0.96279not published
De Lacy AcademyKnottingley0.96161not published
Airedale AcademyCastleford0.93155not published
Ark The King's SchoolPontefract0.912073.287 miles 2026
Outwood Academy HemsworthPontefract0.90207not published
Outwood Grange AcademyWakefield0.82354not published
Ossett Academy and Sixth Form CollegeOssett0.81292not published
Kettlethorpe High SchoolWakefield0.78287not published
Outwood Academy City FieldsWakefield0.77171not 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.