Airedale Infant Academy, Castleford
Airedale Infant Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 7 in Castleford, part of Castleford Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade. It was 97% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Wakefield (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Airedale Infant Academy in detail
Airedale Infant Academy in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "As Headteacher, I am extremely proud to welcome you to Airedale Infant Academy. Located in Airedale, we are a dedicated infant school caring for and teaching our youngest learners as they begin their educational journey."
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care, from £4.00 per day.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Airedale Infant Academy
For September 2026 entry, 38 families put Airedale Infant Academy as their first choice and 84 named it as one of their preferences, for 39 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Airedale Infant Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Airedale Infant Academy are Townville Academy (under 0.1 miles); Airedale Junior Academy (under 0.1 miles, Good, 71% reading, 75% maths); Fairburn View Primary School, Castleford (0.4 miles, Good, 60% reading, 55% maths); and Oyster Park Primary Academy (0.6 miles, Requires improvement, 54% reading, 59% maths).
Townville AcademyAiredale Junior AcademyFairburn View Primary School, CastlefordOyster Park Primary Academy
The trust
Airedale Infant Academy is one of 9 schools run by Castleford Academy Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
31 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Airedale Infant Academy (as of September 2025): 97% would recommend the school, 97% say their child is happy there and 67% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (97%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (67%).
Who goes there
6.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 15 pupils (7.3%) received SEN support and 5 (2.4%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Glasshoughton Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Milnes Grove (at), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 213 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Wakefield (130), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Airedale Infant Academy issued 3 suspensions, 1.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Airedale Infant Academy are Airedale Academy (0.2 miles) and Castleford Academy (1.1 miles).
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from November 2019, 6 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school excels at teaching children to read with confidence and enthusiasm through expert phonics teaching. Staff care deeply about every child and quickly identify those who need extra support, putting help in place immediately. The curriculum brings learning to life through trips, visitors, and real experiences that help children remember what they learn.
Key Strengths
- Excellent phonics teaching with well-trained staff delivering consistent, high-quality lessons
- Strong early years provision with quick identification of SEND and rapid additional support
- Well-established curriculum that helps pupils remember learning and teaches about diverse cultures
- Positive relationships between staff and families, with good community engagement
- Good support for pupils with SEND throughout the curriculum
Areas for Improvement
- Writing and transcription skills need improvement - pupils have not achieved as well as they could
- Attendance remains inconsistent for some pupils, causing them to miss vital learning
- Writing curriculum changes are recent and need ongoing monitoring to ensure they improve outcomes
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with staff creating positive relationships and pupils knowing adults will help them.
Extracurricular Activities
Cooking club, gardening club, sports club, dance club, sewing club, wildlife park visits, science museum visits, breakfast club
Airedale Infant Academy has maintained good standards since its previous inspection. The school ensures pupils behave well, feel cared for, and make good progress, with strong teaching in phonics and early years development.
At a Glance
18.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
31 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
31.3
Avg class size
28.0
Infant (KS1)
3
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Airedale Infant Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Airedale Infant Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Airedale Infant Academy is in Wakefield; for families living there:
- Wakefield's school travel policy: Home To School Transport Policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 36
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 11
- Children hurt
- 10
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 11 serious and 25 slight.
10 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot and 3 on a bicycle.
12 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Wakefield is 13 (the median across 157 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Airedale Infant Academy
Will you get a place at Airedale Infant Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Airedale Infant Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Airedale Infant Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Airedale Infant Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Wakefield, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Airedale Infant Academy for 2015 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Wakefield got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
97%
Near capacity
175 pupils
180 places
5 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Castleford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Castleford
Across Wakefield council
Places available
4,391
Applications
3,654
Got 1st preference
94.4%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Wakefield council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(4)
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
15
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
9.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
206
Total Pupils
105
Boys
101
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
8
Teachers
25.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,041
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,938
Per pupil
£1191k
Total funding
£71k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.2%
Overall absence
23.1%
Persistent absence
121
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Airedale Infant Academy
Questions parents ask about Airedale Infant Academy
What is Airedale Infant Academy's Ofsted rating?
Airedale Infant Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Airedale Infant Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Airedale Infant Academy is oversubscribed, Wakefield allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Airedale Infant Academy?
Airedale Infant Academy was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Airedale Infant Academy?
Classes at Airedale Infant Academy average 31.3 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Airedale Infant Academy?
Airedale Infant Academy has around 206 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Airedale Infant Academy?
7.2% of sessions were missed at Airedale Infant Academy in 2024/25. 23.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Airedale Infant Academy?
Apply through Wakefield's coordinated admissions process, naming Airedale Infant Academy on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Airedale Infant Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 11 serious and 25 slight. 10 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot and 3 on a bicycle. 12 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Wakefield is 13 (the median across 157 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Airedale Infant Academy?
Airedale Infant Academy is at Poplar Avenue, Airedale, Castleford, WF10 3QJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)