Academy converter · Wakefield

Outwood Academy Freeston

11–16Ages
993Pupils
SecondaryPhase
145937URN

Favell Avenue, Normanton, WF6 1HZ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · May 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

1.4per place

0.3 below Wakefield median (1.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Wakefield

238 applications for 175 places · 15th of 18 in Wakefield

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

44.6of 90

Wakefield 46.1 England 46.0

13th of 18 in Wakefield

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 20 May 2025Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		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

1.4applications per place, Year 7

0.3 below Wakefield median (1.6) 0.9 below England median (2.2)

238 applications · 175 places offered · 170 named it first

2026 1.4; Wakefield median median 1.6
2025 1.4; Wakefield median median 1.8
2024 1.3; Wakefield median median 1.7
2023 1.3; Wakefield median median 1.6
2022 1.1; Wakefield median median 1.6
2021 1.2; Wakefield median median 1.6
2020 1.1; Wakefield median median 1.7
2019 1.1; Wakefield median median 1.6
2018 1.2; Wakefield median median 1.7; as the previous school
2017 1.2; Wakefield median median 1.7; as the previous school
2016 1.2; Wakefield median median 1.7; as the previous school
2015 1.2; Wakefield median median 1.8; as the previous school
2014 1.2; Wakefield median median 1.7; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Wakefield median in 0 of 8 years.

This school
Wakefield median

Dashed bars: as The Freeston Academy (URN 137655), The Freeston Business and Enterprise College (URN 108295), the previous school.

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, 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	175	238	1.4	170	0.97
Sep 2025	204	287	1.4	211	1.03
Sep 2024	170	214	1.3	168	0.99
Sep 2023	198	259	1.3	209	1.06
Sep 2022	196	218	1.1	180	0.92
Sep 2021	201	236	1.2	191	0.95
Sep 2020	195	222	1.1	182	0.93
Sep 2019	189	199	1.1	156	0.83
Sep 2018 *	125	148	1.2	100	0.80
Sep 2017 *	128	147	1.2	113	0.88
Sep 2016 *	127	151	1.2	107	0.84
Sep 2015 *	141	173	1.2	137	0.97
Sep 2014 *	127	158	1.2	121	0.95

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

209 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)44.613th of 18 in Wakefield

Wakefield 46.1 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths51%9th of 18 in Wakefield

Wakefield 48% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths68%

Wakefield 66% England 66%

This school
Wakefield median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.18

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	209	44.6	51%	68%	–
2024/25	188	44.6	40%	67%	–
2023/24	190	42.9	48%	67%	−0.18
2022/23	131	39.7	40%	55%	−0.11

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

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

Outwood Academy FreestonThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.4applications per place 44.6Attainment 8
St Wilfrid's Catholic High School & Sixth Form College: A Voluntary Academy
3.4 km · Wakefield

2026

2.2applications per place 46.1Attainment 8
Outwood Academy City Fields
4.3 km · Wakefield

Good2022

1.5applications per place 44.5Attainment 8
Crofton Academy
4.4 km · Wakefield

Good2023

2.0applications per place 49.3Attainment 8
The Featherstone Academy
5.1 km · Wakefield

Remains Good2022

2.4applications per place 39.7Attainment 8
Castleford Academy
5.7 km · Wakefield

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.6applications per place 46.8Attainment 8
Oulton Academy
5.7 km · Leeds

Outstanding2024

2.1applications per place 48.4Attainment 8
St Thomas à Becket Catholic Secondary School, A Voluntary Academy
6.0 km · Wakefield

Good2023

3.3applications per place 49.1Attainment 8
Ark The King's School
6.3 km · Wakefield

Good2022

2.4applications per place 51.8Attainment 8

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 converter
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 145937 · 384/4013
Trust: Outwood Grange Academies Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,050 pupils · 993 on roll
Free school meals: 31.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 May 2018
Replaced: The Freeston Academy (URN 137655); The Freeston Business and Enterprise College (URN 108295)
Address: Favell Avenue, Normanton, WF6 1HZ
Local authority: Wakefield

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources