Ackworth Mill Dam School, Pontefract
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 months agoReport card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Ackworth Mill Dam School creates a warm, welcoming environment where pupils thrive academically and personally. The school excels at supporting all learners, particularly those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, through tailored approaches and strong partnerships with external agencies. Pupils develop secure knowledge across the curriculum, behave extremely well, and benefit from memorable learning experiences and enriching activities.
Key Strengths
- Pupils achieve at or above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6
- Strong focus on reading, phonics and vocabulary development across the curriculum
- Excellent behaviour and attendance, with a dramatic reduction in behaviour incidents this year
- Effective support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, with tailored adaptations
- High-quality early years provision with clear vision and purposeful learning activities
Areas for Improvement
- Leaders do not review the impact of support and adaptations for pupils with SEND as precisely as they could
- Further work needed to develop the order in which early years children learn pre-writing skills
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have created an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified and managed.
Extracurricular Activities
Creative clubs, sports clubs, virtual reality exploration of planets, history trips, annual residential visits, Musician of the month programme
Ackworth Mill Dam School is rated as meeting expected standards across all areas. The school has established a warm, purposeful learning environment where pupils achieve well and behaviour has improved significantly.
At a Glance
14.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 69% to 76%. Maths has declined from 85% to 72%. Writing has declined from 88% to 84%.
Class Sizes
27.0
Avg class size
27.7
Infant (KS1)
27.3
KS2
7
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
95%
Near capacity
225 pupils
236 capacity
11 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Pontefract
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Pontefract
Admissions Demand - Wakefield
Places available
4,426
Applications
3,755
Got 1st preference
91.3%
Got preferred school
98.2%
Primary admissions across Wakefield (2025/26)
Inspection History(4)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.58855%
Overall absence
8.52273%
Persistent absence
176
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Ackworth Mill Dam School
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