Voluntary aided school · Wakefield

Sandal Castle VA Community Primary School

4–11Ages
608Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
108270URN

Barnsley Road, Wakefield, WF2 6AS · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jan 2025 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.1per place

0.2 below Wakefield median (2.3)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Wakefield

141 applications for 68 places · 63rd of 100 in Wakefield

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

45%met the expected standard

Wakefield 64% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 7 January 2025Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Good	Requires improvement
Quality of education		Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes		Requires improvement
Personal development		Requires improvement
Leadership and management	Good
Early years provision		Requires improvement

Inspection history

7 January 2025
Graded inspection, no overall grade
17 October 2019
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.1applications per place, Reception

0.2 below Wakefield median (2.3) close to England median (2.2)

141 applications · 68 places offered · 55 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.1; Wakefield median median 2.3
2025 1.9; Wakefield median median 2.2
2024 2.0; Wakefield median median 2.4
2023 1.6; Wakefield median median 1.9
2022 1.8; Wakefield median median 1.8
2021 1.4; Wakefield median median 1.8
2020 1.9; Wakefield median median 1.9
2019 1.5; Wakefield median median 1.8
2018 1.6; Wakefield median median 1.9
2017 1.6; Wakefield median median 1.9
2016 1.4; Wakefield median median 1.9
2015 1.5; Wakefield median median 1.8
2014 1.5; Wakefield median median 1.9; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Wakefield median in 0 of 12 years.

This school
Wakefield median

Dashed bars: as Wakefield Castle Grove Infant School (URN 108220), the previous school.

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	68	141	2.1	55	0.81
Sep 2025	81	156	1.9	62	0.77
Sep 2024	79	156	2.0	62	0.78
Sep 2023	89	138	1.6	67	0.75
Sep 2022	87	156	1.8	85	0.98
Sep 2021	90	129	1.4	81	0.90
Sep 2020	89	170	1.9	81	0.91
Sep 2019	87	126	1.5	71	0.82
Sep 2018	88	142	1.6	83	0.94
Sep 2017	77	121	1.6	74	0.96
Sep 2016	86	122	1.4	79	0.92
Sep 2015	70	107	1.5	66	0.94
Sep 2014 *	90	134	1.5	84	0.93

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 55% · Writing 64% · Maths 61% → all three 45% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard45%87th of 98 in Wakefield

Wakefield 64% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard55%

Wakefield 76% England 78%

Higher standard23%

Wakefield 27% England 33%

Average scaled score 102 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard64%

Wakefield 77% England 75%

Greater depth3%

Wakefield 10% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard61%

Wakefield 77% England 77%

Higher standard15%

Wakefield 23% England 24%

Average scaled score 102 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Wakefield median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	45%	3%	102	102
2023/24	52%	1%	104	104
2022/23	38%	2%	100	100

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Sandal Castle VA Community Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.1applications per place 45%met the SATs standard
Sandal Magna Community Academy
1.2 km · Wakefield

Good2022

2.9applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Walton Primary Academy
1.7 km · Wakefield

Remains Good2022

2.7applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
Methodist Voluntary Controlled Junior, Infant and Nursery School: With Communication Resource
1.8 km · Wakefield

Remains Good2023

1.7applications per place 65%met the SATs standard
Hendal Primary School
2.1 km · Wakefield

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.5applications per place 51%met the SATs standard
The Mount Junior Infant & Nursery School
2.6 km · Wakefield

Good2022

3.2applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
2.7 km · Wakefield

Remains Good2023

2.2applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
Crigglestone St James CofE Primary Academy
2.8 km · Wakefield

Good2023

2.3applications per place 64%met the SATs standard
Wakefield Lawefield Primary School
3.0 km · Wakefield

Remains Good2024

1.7applications per place 53%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 108270 · 384/3339
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 630 pupils · 608 on roll
Free school meals: 24.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Replaced: Wakefield Castle Grove Infant School (URN 108220)
Address: Barnsley Road, Wakefield, WF2 6AS
Local authority: Wakefield

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources