High Well School, Pontefract
High Well School is a special school for pupils aged 9 to 16 in Pontefract. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in September 2022 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2017)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
High Well School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to High Well School are Balance Alternative Provision (2.2 miles, Good); Oakfield Park School (3.9 miles, Outstanding); The Grange School (4.3 miles); and Wragby School (4.7 miles).
Balance Alternative ProvisionOakfield Park SchoolThe Grange SchoolWragby School
Where pupils go next
Of the 23 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 39% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 30% to a further education college.
Who goes there
79.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at High Well School has an education, health and care plan (104 of 104 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
High Well School has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs and moderate learning difficulties: 110 places, 109 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Pontefract Baghill Rail Station, about 1000 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is De Lacy School (opposite), 260 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood High Well School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 259 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. 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, High Well School issued 168 suspensions, 163.1 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from May 2017, 9 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its May 2017 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
79.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: Speech and language, Autism, SEMH +1
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with High Well School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to High Well School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. High Well School 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
- 8
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 4 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
1 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
95%
Near capacity
104 pupils
110 places
6 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Pontefract
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Pontefract
Across Wakefield council
Places available
4,300
Applications
3,912
Got 1st preference
90.7%
Got preferred school
97.3%
All secondary applications across Wakefield council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(15)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
104
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
High Well School has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs and moderate learning difficulties: 110 places, 109 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
104
Total Pupils
94
Boys
10
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
4.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,582
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
45.9%
Overall absence
79.2%
Persistent absence
106
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
High Well School
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about High Well School
What are GCSE results like at High Well School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at High Well School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 4.5. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is High Well School's Ofsted rating?
High Well School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2017, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for High Well School?
No fixed boundary. When High Well School is oversubscribed, Wakefield allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to High Well School?
High Well School has around 104 pupils on roll. 80% are eligible for free school meals.
Does High Well School have specialist SEN provision?
High Well School has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs and moderate learning difficulties: 110 places, 109 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at High Well School?
45.9% of sessions were missed at High Well School in 2024/25. 79.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to High Well School?
Apply through Wakefield's coordinated admissions process, naming High Well School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near High Well School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 4 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 1 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 High Well School?
High Well School is at Rookhill Road, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF8 2DD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)