Academy sponsor led · Wakefield

St Helen's CE Primary School

3–11Ages
215Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
139573URN

Highfield Road, Hemsworth, Pontefract, WF9 4EG · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Feb 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.0per place

0.3 below Wakefield median (2.3)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Wakefield

48 applications for 24 places · 68th of 100 in Wakefield

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

58%met the expected standard

Wakefield 64% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 7 February 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		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

2.0applications per place, Reception

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

48 applications · 24 places offered · 23 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 2.0; Wakefield median median 2.3
2025 1.7; Wakefield median median 2.2
2024 1.8; Wakefield median median 2.4
2023 1.4; Wakefield median median 1.9
2022 1.7; Wakefield median median 1.8
2021 1.5; Wakefield median median 1.8
2020 1.2; Wakefield median median 1.9
2019 1.2; Wakefield median median 1.8
2018 1.5; Wakefield median median 1.9
2017 1.4; Wakefield median median 1.9
2016 1.6; Wakefield median median 1.9
2015 1.4; Wakefield median median 1.8
2014 1.9; Wakefield median median 1.9

More applications per place than the Wakefield median in 1 of 13 years.

This school
Wakefield median

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	24	48	2.0	23	0.96
Sep 2025	27	45	1.7	23	0.85
Sep 2024	25	45	1.8	20	0.80
Sep 2023	18	25	1.4	16	0.89
Sep 2022	21	35	1.7	20	0.95
Sep 2021	28	41	1.5	28	1.00
Sep 2020	27	31	1.2	19	0.70
Sep 2019	21	26	1.2	16	0.76
Sep 2018	24	36	1.5	24	1.00
Sep 2017	23	32	1.4	19	0.83
Sep 2016	26	42	1.6	25	0.96
Sep 2015	18	26	1.4	15	0.83
Sep 2014	19	36	1.9	18	0.95

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 84% · Writing 71% · Maths 74% → all three 58% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard58%63rd of 98 in Wakefield

Wakefield 64% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard84%

Wakefield 76% England 78%

Higher standard35%

Wakefield 27% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard71%

Wakefield 77% England 75%

Greater depth16%

Wakefield 10% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard74%

Wakefield 77% England 77%

Higher standard13%

Wakefield 23% England 24%

Average scaled score 103 (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	58%	3%	106	103
2023/24	69%	3%	107	104
2022/23	43%	5%	101	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

St Helen's CE Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

2.0applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School
0.6 km · Wakefield

Good2022

3.3applications per place 30%met the SATs standard
West End Academy
0.8 km · Wakefield

Improved significantly2024

2.3applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Grove Lea Primary School
0.9 km · Wakefield

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.5applications per place 77%met the SATs standard
Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
1.9 km · Barnsley

Good2024

1.7applications per place 86%met the SATs standard
King's Meadow Academy
2.5 km · Wakefield

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.5applications per place 45%met the SATs standard
South Hiendley Primary School
2.6 km · Wakefield

Good2022

1.9applications per place 65%met the SATs standard
South Kirkby Common Road Infant and Nursery School
3.0 km · Wakefield

2025

1.5applications per place
South Kirkby Academy
3.1 km · Wakefield

Good2023

32%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 139573 · 384/2007
Trust: Enhance Academy Trust
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 270 pupils · 215 on roll
Free school meals: 47.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 July 2013
Replaced: Hemsworth St Helens Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior and Infant School (URN 130974)
Address: Highfield Road, Hemsworth, Pontefract, WF9 4EG
Local authority: Wakefield

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