Horbury Academy, Wakefield
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 8 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Horbury Academy is a high-achieving school where all pupils, including the most disadvantaged, make excellent progress. Teaching is precise and carefully adapted to individual needs, creating a calm, purposeful learning environment where behaviour is excellent and pupils are highly motivated. Staff know pupils extremely well and provide warm, supportive relationships alongside high expectations.
Key Strengths
- Pupils achieve excellent results and make strong progress, with disadvantaged pupils performing very well
- Teaching is highly effective with consistent expectations and carefully adapted support for individual pupils
- Behaviour is excellent with rare disruption and a calm, purposeful school environment
- Strong leadership with staff development focused on research-informed approaches
- Safeguarding is effective with an open culture where concerns are acted upon swiftly
Areas for Improvement
- Attendance is below average, especially for disadvantaged pupils whose attendance continues to decline
- Whole-school strategies to support disadvantaged pupils are not yet fully embedded
- Older pupils have less secure understanding of tolerance and respect for different cultures compared to younger pupils
- Engagement in enrichment and extra-curricular activities could be widened for more pupils
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils are made safer and feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Educational visits, foreign trips, extra-curricular clubs, careers fairs, employer visits, mentoring younger pupils with reading, visiting local care homes
Horbury Academy is a strong school where pupils achieve highly, are well-taught, and benefit from a calm, purposeful learning environment. Leaders are ambitious and effective, though attendance remains below average, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.
At a Glance
27.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
26.0
Avg class size
41
Total classes
9 classes with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
101%
Over capacity
1,070 pupils
1,059 capacity
11 places over capacity
Area Demand Pressure - Wakefield
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Wakefield
Admissions Demand - Wakefield
Places available
4,320
Applications
3,997
Got 1st preference
91.0%
Got preferred school
96.9%
Secondary admissions across Wakefield (2025/26)
Inspection History(5)
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
10.08824%
Overall absence
23.54521%
Persistent absence
1,117
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Horbury Academy
Horbury Primary Academy
Horbury St Peter's and Clifton CofE (VC) Primary School
Wakefield Snapethorpe Primary School
Ossett South Parade Primary
Horbury Bridge Church of England Junior and Infant Academy
South Ossett Infant Academy
St Ignatius Catholic Primary School
The Mount Junior Infant & Nursery School
English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
Sitlington Netherton Junior and Infant School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Nearby Schools
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