Brigshaw High School, Castleford

In its own words: "Welcome to Brigshaw High School, where our mission is to help each student forge their greatness. We believe that greatness is not just about academic achievement, but about developing the whole person-fostering resilience, respect, equality and integrity. At Brigshaw, we strive to provide an environment that nurtures both personal growth and academic success, guiding our students from cradle to career."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Our Brigshaw Learning Partnership Trust mission is to provide a cradle to career education that allows our children to enjoy lives of choice and opportunity . Leaving school and progressing into sixth form life is an exciting venture, the start of a completely new phase in your life."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include drama, photography and Duke of Edinburgh.

Coming up: an open evening on Wednesday 4 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Brigshaw High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 51.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.7 in Leeds and 47 across England.

58% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 48% in Leeds and 47% in England.

That is up from 47.4 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.05: pupils made about average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 42.1, against 54.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 12.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Art and Design.

For September 2026 entry, 201 families put Brigshaw High School as their first choice and 455 named it as one of their preferences, for 206 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Brigshaw High School are Garforth Academy (2.1 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 50.9); Castleford Academy (2.7 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 46.8); Oulton Academy (3.4 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 48.4); and Airedale Academy (3.8 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 39.4).

Brigshaw High School's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Brigshaw High School is one of 7 schools run by The Brigshaw Learning Partnership, an academy trust.

168 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Brigshaw High School (as of September 2025): 70% would recommend the school, 80% say their child is happy there and 59% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (87%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (59%).

Of the 211 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 87% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 43% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 100 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 39% went on to university or other higher education, 15% to apprenticeships and 29% into work. 12% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

2.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

Brigshaw High School has a resourced provision for physical disability: 10 places, 7 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is East Garforth Rail Station, about 2.5 miles away in a straight line.

5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Brigshaw Lane Hirst St, 290 metres away.

In 2024/25, Brigshaw High School issued 337 suspensions, 25.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Brigshaw High School are Great Preston VC CofE Primary School (0.3 miles), Allerton Bywater Primary School (0.8 miles), Kippax Greenfield Primary School (1 mile) and Kippax Ash Tree Primary School (1.1 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.