Castleford Wheldon Infant School and Nursery, Castleford

Good
Primary
Community school
Mixed
Ages 37

Data last updated 12 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~330m)Possible (~471m)Unlikely (~612m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Helen Davison-McMullen
Pupils:169 / 135 capacity
LA:Wakefield
Phone:01977553528
Address:Francis Street, Castleford, WF10 1HF
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Inspected 13 May 2025View full report
URN:108236
UKPRN:10070887
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Castleford Wheldon creates a warm, supportive environment where children thrive emotionally and academically. The school excels at helping children manage their emotions and develop independence through play-based learning. Strong phonics teaching and tailored support ensure all children, including those new to English and those with additional needs, make good progress in reading.

Key Strengths

  • Strong focus on mental health and well-being woven throughout the curriculum, supporting positive conduct and learning behaviours
  • Excellent support for additional needs - pupils new to English learn quickly and all pupils needing extra reading help receive it
  • Well-sequenced curriculum with strong subject knowledge and consistent phonics teaching
  • Pupils develop curiosity and independence through play and activity-based learning
  • Strong community involvement with leadership roles like eco warriors, activity leaders and friendship buddies

Areas for Improvement

  • Writing curriculum does not provide enough opportunities for some pupils to practise and develop writing skills - gaps need closing
  • Need to continue developing and reviewing the writing curriculum to improve pupil writing outcomes

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with pupils feeling safe and knowing that adults will help them.

Extracurricular Activities

Art clubs, gardening clubs, sports clubs, visits to the seaside, wildlife park visits, litter picking, bulb planting

Castleford Wheldon Infant School and Nursery has maintained good standards since its previous inspection. Pupils are proud of their school, demonstrate strong values, behave well, and feel safe.

At a Glance

17.4%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

25 responses
Would recommend72%
Child is happy80%
Well taught80%
Good progress76%
Feels safe92%
Well behaved76%
Bullying dealt with8%
Kept informed72%
Handles concerns44%
Wider development76%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Class Sizes

27.0

Avg class size

26.8

Infant (KS1)

6

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Castleford Rail Station (Entrance 1)
588m · 10 min walk

Bus Stops

The Garden House PH (opp)
81m · 1 min walk
Bridge Street A
159m · 3 min walk
Bridge Street B
165m · 3 min walk
Lock Lane
256m · 4 min walk
Aire Street (stop B)
273m · 4 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

125%

Over capacity

169 pupils

135 capacity

34 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Castleford

High pressure
New homes approved:710
Projected new pupils:178

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Castleford

Admissions Demand - Wakefield

Low demand0.85x oversubscription

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(8)

13 May 2025
25 April 2019
16 April 2015
Leadership & ManagementGood

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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.

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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.

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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.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.86431%

Overall absence

16.48352%

Persistent absence

91

Enrolments

Authorised4.17719%
Unauthorised1.68712%
Persistent (10%+)16.48352%
Severe (50%+)0%

Absence trend

5.77589%
18/19
3.30518%
20/21
7.07431%
21/22
6.88122%
22/23
6.67069%
23/24
5.86431%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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