Kettlethorpe High School, Wakefield

In its own words: "At Kettlethorpe High School we want to be the very best in all we do and never take things for granted. Pupil success is always a cause for celebration. Partnership and collaboration between staff, pupils and families is vital to this success; we will do everything in our power to ensure each pupil achieves to the best of their ability."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Kettlethorpe High School is a popular and inclusive school where all our pupils matter. The school remains a school of choice and we have pupils who join the school from across the Wakefield, Barnsley and Kirklees areas. Pupils enjoy attending the school and we have attendance figures that are well above the national average."

In 2026, pupils at Kettlethorpe High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Wakefield and 47 across England.

57% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 48% in Wakefield and 47% in England.

That is up from 46.9 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.06: 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 34.4, against 52.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 18.4 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 26 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Spanish.

For September 2026 entry, 224 families put Kettlethorpe High School as their first choice and 473 named it as one of their preferences, for 287 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 Kettlethorpe High School are St Thomas à Becket Catholic Secondary School, A Voluntary Academy (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.1); Trinity Academy Cathedral (1.7 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 50.9); Horbury Academy (2.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 51); and Crofton Academy (2.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.3).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Kettlethorpe High School.

Of the 315 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 86% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 46% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

10.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (76%) and Asian (8%).

The nearest railway station is Sandal & Agbrigg Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is High School (at), 100 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 64 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Wakefield (130).

In 2024/25, Kettlethorpe High School issued 1033 suspensions, 61.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 12 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Kettlethorpe High School are Hendal Primary School (0.5 miles), Sandal Castle VA Community Primary School (0.8 miles), Crigglestone St James CofE Primary Academy (1.1 miles) and Walton Primary Academy (1.4 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.