Fitzwilliam Primary 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 · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
This is a happy school where children love coming and behave well. The school excels at teaching reading through a well-organised phonics programme, and provides excellent enrichment through visits, activities and a strong personal development programme. Staff provide good support for children who need extra help, including those with SEND.
Key Strengths
- Strong phonics programme with pupils developing confident reading skills and becoming keen readers
- Excellent provision for personal development including a well-designed PSHE programme that builds understanding of British values
- Good support for pupils with SEND and those needing help to regulate behaviour, with a nurture group providing tailored support
- Positive behaviour throughout the school with pupils responding well to the 'respectful, responsible and ready' expectations
- Good early years provision with children well-cared for and prepared for key stage 1
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching does not consistently focus enough on basic number facts and mental arithmetic in mathematics, which slows pupil progress
- The curriculum does not always make clear the most important knowledge pupils should learn and remember
- Variation in how well teaching focuses on essential knowledge, even when it is identified
- School does not consistently check and use information about how well the curriculum is being taught across all subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with school leaders prioritising pupils' best interests and creating an open, positive culture around safeguarding.
Fitzwilliam Primary School is a happy, caring school where pupils behave well and are looked after. However, the quality of education requires improvement due to gaps in pupils' knowledge and inconsistencies in how the curriculum is taught across subjects.
At a Glance
27.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
21 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 39% to 71%. Maths has improved from 40% to 57%. Writing has improved from 48% to 75%.
Class Sizes
27.4
Avg class size
28.0
Infant (KS1)
28.7
KS2
7
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
107%
Over capacity
224 pupils
210 capacity
14 places over capacity
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(3)
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
4.88468%
Overall absence
10.91954%
Persistent absence
174
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Reviews
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Fitzwilliam Primary School
Nearby Schools
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