Academy sponsor led · Wakefield

Outwood Academy Hemsworth

11–18Ages
1,101Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
145938URN

Wakefield Road, Pontefract, WF9 4AB · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 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

283 applications for 207 places · 14th of 18 in Wakefield

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

37.5of 90

Wakefield 46.1 England 46.0

18th of 18 in Wakefield

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 4 March 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
Sixth form 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

1.4applications per place, Year 7

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

283 applications · 207 places offered · 186 named it first

2026 1.4; Wakefield median median 1.6
2025 1.3; Wakefield median median 1.8
2024 1.5; Wakefield median median 1.7
2023 1.3; Wakefield median median 1.6
2022 1.2; Wakefield median median 1.6
2021 1.4; Wakefield median median 1.6
2020 1.5; Wakefield median median 1.7
2019 1.3; Wakefield median median 1.6
2018 1.4; Wakefield median median 1.7; as the previous school
2017 1.5; Wakefield median median 1.7; as the previous school
2016 1.6; Wakefield median median 1.7; as the previous school
2015 1.4; Wakefield median median 1.8; as the previous school
2014 1.7; 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 Hemsworth Arts and Community Academy (URN 139335), Hemsworth Arts and Community College (URN 108274), 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	207	283	1.4	186	0.90
Sep 2025	191	254	1.3	147	0.77
Sep 2024	194	291	1.5	167	0.86
Sep 2023	199	263	1.3	189	0.95
Sep 2022	211	256	1.2	171	0.81
Sep 2021	190	256	1.4	181	0.95
Sep 2020	178	270	1.5	174	0.98
Sep 2019	180	230	1.3	152	0.84
Sep 2018 *	175	252	1.4	164	0.94
Sep 2017 *	200	305	1.5	199	1.00
Sep 2016 *	160	254	1.6	141	0.88
Sep 2015 *	217	302	1.4	192	0.88
Sep 2014 *	185	310	1.7	181	0.98

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

203 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)37.518th of 18 in Wakefield

Wakefield 46.1 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths33%18th of 18 in Wakefield

Wakefield 48% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths53%

Wakefield 66% England 66%

This school
Wakefield median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.07

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	203	37.5	33%	53%	–
2024/25	170	41.0	40%	62%	–
2023/24	173	39.7	32%	58%	−0.07
2022/23	179	39.7	34%	58%	−0.24

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 HemsworthThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.4applications per place 37.5Attainment 8
Minsthorpe Community College
4.2 km · Wakefield

Remains Good2023

1.1applications per place 44.7Attainment 8
Outwood Academy Shafton
4.8 km · Barnsley

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.4applications per place 43.3Attainment 8
The Featherstone Academy
6.6 km · Wakefield

Remains Good2022

2.4applications per place 39.7Attainment 8
Crofton Academy
6.9 km · Wakefield

Good2023

2.0applications per place 49.3Attainment 8
Outwood Academy Carlton
7.2 km · Barnsley

Standards maintained2024

1.9applications per place 42.0Attainment 8
Ark Carleton High School
7.5 km · Wakefield

Improved significantly2024

2.4applications per place 44.3Attainment 8
Ark The King's School
8.0 km · Wakefield

Good2022

2.4applications per place 51.8Attainment 8
Holy Trinity Catholic and Church of England School
8.4 km · Barnsley

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.8applications per place 37.2Attainment 8

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 145938 · 384/4014
Trust: Outwood Grange Academies Trust
Capacity: 1,632 pupils · 1,101 on roll
Free school meals: 43.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 May 2018
Replaced: Hemsworth Arts and Community Academy (URN 139335); Hemsworth Arts and Community College (URN 108274)
Address: Wakefield Road, Pontefract, WF9 4AB
Local authority: Wakefield

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